The Sixth Year
by rougette
Summary: Scorpius fancies Lily Potter, transfer student from France. Albus is interested in the most unavailable girl at school. James is intrigued with the strangest student Hogwarts has seen, but still likes his ex-girlfriend. Interesting year? Yes. Review!
1. Prologue: Albus

Sometimes I feel like life hates me. Every time something's finally going well, it just comes back and smacks me in the face. Whatever. At this point I'm just learning to deal with it.

I'm entering my sixth year at Hogwarts. People are telling me that this is supposed to be the best year of my life, how much they grew emotionally and intellectually during this year. But I can't understand how I'll enjoy it when so much is happening around me.

Firstly, my older brother James is being a thorough ass lately. Not towards me, we've always got on somewhat okay, but towards pretty much everyone else. Mum says it's because he's in his seventh year, says it gives him a big head. Dad reckons it's because of girl troubles, though I don't see how he can have girl troubles when he hasn't got a girl. And out cousin Rose, who's been staying with us more and more frequently recently, things it's just because he's been restless lately, this year being his last at Hogwarts and all. I for one am not even going to pretend I know what goes on in that twisted mind of his. I give up.

I suppose I could pretend that the next bothersome issue on my list does not affect me at all, but that would be a huge lie. And I don't lie. It doesn't bother me emotionally (not much does), but does it fuck with my life? Hell yeah. See, the problem is my younger sister Lily. Fourteen, redheaded, brown-eyed, petite. Utterly personable and amazingly clever. Easy going, ambitious and quick. She doesn't sound like much of a problem, does she? But the thing is, probably only 5 of Hogwarts even knows of her existence.

When she was eleven, instead of following the family's traditions and beginning Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she decided to go with my Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron and our cousin Hugo to live in France. Aunt Hermione had some kind of research she wanted to accomplish there, and although Hugo was excited to go, and Uncle Ron was willing to follow his wife there, Rose didn't want to leave Britain for the year they were going to spend there. So Lily, being her brilliant self, decided to take Rose's place and attend Beauxbatons, the magic academy in France, while Rose stayed here with our Nana Molly and Grandad Arthur. Mum and Dad permitted Lily to go because as they said, it would only be a year.

But it didn't take a year. It took three years.

And as positive and optimistic and happy as Lily was in those years before she left, when she would come home to visit at holidays and things I saw that person swiftly drifting away. She grew more and more detesting of our family (except for James; they've always had a soft spot for each other), and toward the beginning of her third year finally stopped coming home altogether. She eventually stopped writing as well. The only updates of Lily we received were from Aunt Hermione's letters, or sometimes the ones we got from Hugo, who is just as brilliant as Lily.

But now, after three years, Aunt Hermione has finished her work in France and is moving her family back to Britain. Lily, of course, protested leaving Beauxbatons and tried to beg Mum and Dad to permit her to continue there, but Dad put his foot dawn and told her in certain terms that she was moving back and coming to Hogwarts starting with her fourth year of school.

I'm dreading it, really I am. I can't stand my sister anymore. I loved how it was at home when she was away. Well, not at first, but later on when James and I started to get on well, and then when Rose started hanging around more. Rose became like my replacement sister, only less bitchy and cynical.

I can't talk about my dilemma to anybody. Mum is of course ecstatic for Lily to be coming home. She's already fixed up Lil's room and everything. And James is the same way, excited even through his pessimistic attitude of recent times. Rose is overjoyed at her family's homecoming. I think Dad might be the only one who shares my feelings, even though he'd never say it. I think he might be even less pleased with Lily's transformation than I am. Of course he doesn't say so, but I can tell. I know my dad like that.

Lily arrives the first day of school. She's putting off coming home until the very last moment. Not that I mind in the least. But still, it's rude of her not to go home to see Mum and Dad before the school year starts. Dad says he doesn't mind, but I know he does. He tries to hard to help her but she just pushes it away. Dad even requested for Headmaster Flitwick to find a student to show her around at first and stuff, which of course was obeyed. And of all people, he chose Roldine Hathway to be her guide.

Roldine is the other thing on my mind. She's a sixth year with me, and absolutely spectacular. She's got the best grades in our year, and the best personality too. She can make anyone smile when they're down, and comfort anyone who's upset. She's friendly to all. And the teachers love her. But it's not only her personality—she is beyond gorgeous. She's got this auburn hair straight down to her waist, and these huge brown eyes, not to mention a smile to die for. Last year we were good friends because I was a Gryffindor prefect and she was one for Ravenclaw. We really hit it off. But how am I supposed to ask out the girl when she's being the guide of my bitch of a sister?! Yeah, I can't.

So I'm really not looking forward to this year, this year that's supposed to be the best on my life. James says I look on the negative side of things way too much. But the way I see it, I'd rather be pleasantly surprised when something that I dint' expect goes right than be terribly disappointed when something goes wrong. Call me crazy, but I'd rather not feel than feel.


	2. Chapter 1: Scorpius

Scorpius stood uncomfortably at Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross

Scorpius stood uncomfortably at Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross. He always hated the end of school holidays, just as he always hated leaving school for the holidays. He always went home expecting it to be boring and uneventful, and instead always had a fantastic time. His dad had always told people when Scorpius was younger that he had "separation issues". Scorpius didn't show that he had them anymore, but he still hated leaving.

"Look who's over there," Scorpius' dad nodded towards a couple. The woman had long, waist-length blonde hair and a serene look on her face, and the man was dark-haired and small. He looked just as dreamy as his wife.

"Who is it?" Scorpius asked, trying not to look blatantly over at the woman and her husband. Every year on the first day of school, his dad would come to drop him off at the train station and while there, point out people he used to go to school with and tell Scorpius about their pasts. Scorpius hated it. He felt like it was an invasion of the adults' privacy. What they did in their childhoods had nothing to do with the people they were now, but every time Scorpius heard a story his father told him about the person, he always remembered it when he saw them later, no matter how stupid or embarrassing it was.

"Her name is Luna Lovegood," Mr. Malfoy smirked. "She was the epitome of insanity in her years at Hogwarts. She was a year behind me. Her father was the creator and editor of that mad magazine _The Quibbler_, and she believed every word he said. Honestly, she's as mad as they come."

"Draco," his wife reprimanded him from behind, "you know as well as I do what lovely people the Lovegoods are." She pulled little Lyrica onto her hip and scowled at her husband.

"I didn't say anything about her not being a nice person, Adeline. But it's a right fact that the Lovegoods are barking mad. People just overlook it because, as you said, they're lovely people."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. As much as his father would go and slander other people or talk about them behind their backs, he would say anything to please his wife. Even Scorpius could see that his dad was head over heels for her still, even after their five years of marriage. He couldn't blame his dad. Adeline was smart, pleasant, sweet, and a wonderful mother. And little five-year old Lyrica was becoming more like her every day.

"Do they have children who go to school with you?"

Scorpius awoke from his thoughts and followed his father's stare back to Luna Lovegood. "I don't know, what's her married name?"

Mr. Malfoy shrugged slightly and made a face to say he didn't remember, or care much for that matter. "I think those are their children, the two boys standing by them. Who are they? Do you know them?"

Scorpius glanced over again. He saw two identical boys with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes standing by Luna. "Yeah, they're a couple of years younger than me, maybe in fourth year. Their names are Lysander and Lorcan."

"What house are they in? Gryffindor? I could have sworn Luna was in Gryffindor when she was at Hogwarts…" Mr. Malfoy looked at his wife for confirmation.

But Adeline shook her head. "She was in Ravenclaw, with me. Though she was a few years ahead of me."

"Ah, that's right. I thought she was in Gryffindor because she was friends with the Weasley girl and Potter and Granger and all of them. Are those two in Ravenclaw then?"

Scorpius shook his head. "One of them is a Gryffindor, I'm pretty sure. And I see one of them around the Slytherin common room, so one of them is in there."

His dad raised his eyebrows. "Really? A child of Luna Lovegood is a Slytherin? Who would have thought?"

Scorpius rolled his eyes again. "Maybe the houses have changed a bit since you were at Hogwarts."

Malfoy stopped staring at the woman to look at his son with an odd expression on his face. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Well then. I think I'll go put Nor's cage on the train for you." He took the owl cage and walked off.

Scorpius looked after him for a moment before turning to his stepmother and smiling at her. "I should be going."

She smiled back and enveloped him in a warm hug. "You take care of yourself, dear. And please write us once in a while, don't forget."

He shook his head. "I won't. I never do. Thanks for the trip to Vienna this summer. It was really amazing."

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" she grinned, as if reminiscing. "My parents used to have a home there when I was a little girl. It brings back a lot of memories. I wanted to take you and Lyrica there.

"Well thanks."

"And besides," she continued, "While your dad had all that time traveling for work, we weren't just going to sit home at the manor, were we?"

Scorpius smiled again. "No, I liked it much better this way."

"Good, we'll go again next summer."

"Scorpius," came a soft melodious voice from the little girl on Adeline's hip, "must you really leave?"

Scorpius bent down slightly, so that he was closer to her eye-level. "I'm sorry, Rica. I have to go to school to learn things. I would take you with me if I could, you know I would. But I can't. You have to wait a few years until you're old enough to go too."

Her face dropped slightly. "But I want to go _now_."

Scorpius shook his head sympathetically. "No you don't, Lyrica. You don't want to leave your Mum, do you?" He waited for her to shake her head, and then continued. "Besides, in a few years you'll be the one going off to Hogwarts without _me_." He made a face as if he were sad.

"You can come with me!" said Lyrica, excitedly.

"But that wouldn't be fun for you!" exclaimed Scorpius. "I would always be around, watching out for you. Would you like that?" He paused, but she just kept looking at him. "You wouldn't like that, Lyrica. Because I would make sure that you were hanging around the right people, and not getting into any trouble, and eating all your vegetables, and not dating any boys…"

"Hm, maybe you should go to school with her," smiled Adeline.

Scorpius smiled up at her before continuing to talk to Lyrica. "You wouldn't like that, would you?"

"Do you mean like that time when I was at the park and you came up and told that boy Evan who was sitting next to me on the seesaw that you would hit him really hard if he tried anything with me?" Lyrica asked innocently.

"You what?" exclaimed Adeline, though when Scorpius looked up at her, she had a rather amused look on her face.

"Yes," he said solemnly. "Just like that, Rica. And believe me, if I hadn't said something that boy could have tried much more than seesawing with you."

Adeline laughed. "They're five."

"Evan's six!" Lyrica said defensively.

Scorpius made a sour face. "All the worse. Watch out for older men, Rica," he advised, making Adeline laugh even more.

He grinned too and looked down at Lyrica. "See? Now would you like me following you around at Hogwarts the entire time you're there, telling boys I'll hit them if they seesaw with you?"

Lyrica hesitated, her eyes looking very solemn. That was one thing Scorpius absolutely loved about his half-sister—her eyes looked exactly like his. Though he had his father's blonde hair and Lyrica had her mother's soft light brown hair, their eyes matched perfectly in an indefinable blend of grey, green, and brown. Looking at his little sister's eyes was like looking into a mirror reflecting his own.

"I suppose it wouldn't be such a good thing," Lyrica decided. "Evan and I are friends, and you told him you would hit him, which isn't a good thing. So I suppose I wouldn't want you around Hogwarts while I was there. And maybe it's a good thing that you can't take me, because I'd do the same for you."

"Do what for me?" Scorpius asked, trying not to laugh.

"Hit girls who try and play with you and make sure you don't get into trouble and eat all your vegetables and all that you said."

Scorpius made sure to give her a grateful smile. "Thanks, Lyrica. But I promise I'll send you lots of letters and Hogwarts stuff, okay?"

She nodded.

"And promise me you'll send me stuff too?"

She nodded again and leaned over to hug him, though her mother was still holding her.

After Scorpius released Lyrica, he hugged his stepmother again. "Bye, Adeline. I promise to write and stuff. And I'll see you at holiday."

Mr. Malfoy walked up at that moment. "Are you about ready?" he asked.

Scorpius nodded and reached down for his trunk. "I'll see you, Dad."

His father nodded and gave him a brief smile. "See you at holidays, Scorpius."

Scorpius nodded back and gave Adeline and Lyrica one last smile before turning away and walking toward the train.

"Don't break too many hearts."

Scorpius turned back around and saw Adeline still standing behind him, grinning. His father had already walked away.

He laughed back. "I can't promise you that."

She rolled her eyes, smiling. "Be good." She turned to follow her husband.

"Be nice," he replied. "You too, Lyrica."

Lyrica smiled sadly back at him, over her mother's shoulder, as she walked away.

Scorpius sighed and glanced around the platform, doing a quick once-over for any of his best mates, most of whom were in Slytherin. He almost immediately caught sight of Melinda Carter, standing only a few meters away from him, talking with her best friend Anna Margosian.

He cringed slightly. Scorpius and Melinda had gone together for a month the previous year, but he had broken up with her on the last day of school and they had parted on bad terms. The last he had heard from her was in mid-August when he had received an owl bearing a letter from Melinda accusing him of "breaking her heart and damaging it past repair". Scorpius decided to avoid her sight and quickly hurried to the next person he was acquaintances with: Albus Potter, who was standing near the Hogwarts Express with his older brother James.

Scorpius dragged his trunk to the two of them. "Hey," he greeted with a smile.

James immediately grinned back, the friendlier of the two, while Albus gave a more apprehensive greeting.

"Hey, Malfoy," James ran a hand through his messy black hair. "How was your holiday?"

"Wasn't too bad," Scorpius shrugged. "My stepmum took me and my sister to Vienna. It was pretty cool."

James nodded, looking interested. "Yeah, my Aunt Hermione and her family went on a holiday there a couple years ago; said it was fantastic." Behind him, Albus let out a kind of snort. James ignored him and kept talking with his boundlessly energetic voice. "We've never been there though. Or family really doesn't travel much anymore. Mum's not too fond of it."

"Probably because whenever one Weasley goes on vacation, every other Weasley on the planet seems to feel the need to come along," commented Albus, deciding to join the conversation, though looking a bit suspicious.

"Oh yeah, you guys are related to the Weasleys," Scorpius remembered. "Because your last name is different, I always seem to forget."

"We're not lucky enough to be able to forget," beamed James, joking. "There are always Weasleys around to remind us that we are one of them."

Scorpius grinned back. He liked James Potter; he was a laugh. "So how was your holiday, then?"

"Good," nodded James. "Our cousin Rose came with us when we drove up to the cottage for a few days."

Scorpius nodded. Rose Weasley was in his year, with Albus. She had fantastic red hair and pretty blue eyes. She was bright and friendly and he rather liked her. "Where is Rose?" Scorpius asked, looking around.

"Dunno," said James, looking around as well. "But she'll be here. We're just so early, hardly anyone else is here yet."

"Yeah, I hate being so early," Scorpius agreed. "My dad always drops me off before hardly anyone gets here."

"Our Mum and Dad did the same," Albus commented. "They practically shoved us inside so the could wait in the parking lot for the, er, _other _Weasleys."

"Exaggeration," snorted James.

"Whatever," Albus retorted.

"But our grandparents are getting Rose here so she should be here soon. Because I can bet you they'll be here early today," James said.

"Oh yeah, Rose lives with your grandparents, doesn't she?" Scorpius asked. "Aren't her parents in…wasn't it France?"

"Yeah, France," said James, nodding. "With her younger brother Hugo."

"Right," Scorpius nodded. It was all coming back to him now, "and Hugo goes to Beauxbatons, and they live in Marseilles, right?"

Albus paused a moment. "Right."

James cast a suspicious smile. "Yeah, right. How did you know?"

Scorpius brushed off the remark. "I dunno, my dad must have mentioned it or something."

Albus shot a look to James.

James grinned and said, "Or maybe you've been a little cozier with our cousin than you let on."

"Who, Rose?"

"I would make a sarcastic remark about how many cousins we have, but I want to know more about you and Rose's relationship, so I'll spare you," James said. "So what's going n with you and Rose?"

"Nothing," Scorpius insisted, worried that if he said anything, the Potters would do to him what he had said he would do to Lyrica's friend Evan. "We're just friends."

"Scorpius," James said, still grinning, "I know what _I _mean when I say 'just friends' about a girl. And I think we're kind of similar when it comes to girls. So you can tell us, what's up with Rose?"

Scorpius looked between the Potters and insisted, "Really, nothing. We just started talking more last year because we were both prefects and everything. And I remember her telling me about her family being in France and stuff."

James laughed and called over to Albus, "I love how Rose just goes around telling everyone about her people in France."

Albus shrugged. "We don't have to just because she does."

"What," Scorpius asked, "do you have family there too?"

Before James could reply, Albus just shrugged again and replied, "There are Weasleys everywhere."

"Only too true; everywhere I look, I see a Weasley lately." A petite blonde girl dragged her trunk up to the three boys and smiled brightly. "Although I can't quite say that's a good thing."

James laughed and pulled the girl into a hug. "Hey, how was your summer?"

"Good!" she laughed as he embraced her. "But I'm so glad to be back at Hogwarts!"

"Same," James agreed.

The girl ran to hug Albus next. "I missed you guys so much! Remember when we used to live next door to each other and play all the time?"

"I remember," Albus assured her, smiling for the first time that Scorpius had seen today."

James grinned at the two of them and then turned to Scorpius. "Do you know Briony Talisman?"

"No I don't, but I have a feeling I will in a moment," Scorpius said charmingly, giving Briony his most heart-melting smile.

"This is Scorpius Malfoy, Briony," introduced James. "Briony's a fifth-year Gryffindor. We used to live next to her when we were kids. Until she abandoned us to move to Surrey."

"Not true!" cried Briony. "I just decided to movie into my dad's house with my brother! But I still see you every day at Hogwarts!"

James smiled. "Like I could forget, Bri." He turned to Scorpius again. "Briony's mum played Quidditch with our parents while they were at Hogwarts. Name's Alicia Spinnett—_brilliant_ chaser."

Briony laughed and swatted at James. "I don't know how you can say that—she stopped playing before you were even born."

"Well if she's half as good as her daughter, I'd say she's pretty superb," said Albus, with a smile.

Scorpius was taken aback. He had never seen or heard Albus flirt with a girl, and was especially intrigued that he was flirting with one as pretty as Briony. It wasn't that Albus wasn't good-looking—as a matter of fact, he was one of the best looking in their year—it was just that Albus wasn't like that. That was more of something that James would do.

James noticed Scorpius' surprised look and grinned his notorious smile, acknowledging his brother's flirting. "She is a good Quidditch player, though."

Briony flushed a bit, but smiled. "Thanks, you two. Do you play, Scorpius?"

He shook his head. "I used to play around at home, but I never tried-out for the team or anything."

"Yeah, I didn't think I had ever seen you in a match before," said Briony, thoughtfully.

"Oh, so you noticed me before?" asked Scorpius with a smirk across his face.

Briony laughed. "Yes. But the only times I've really seen you is with your nose in a book, or with another girl."

"Sounds a bit apt," grinned Scorpius.

Albus cleared his throat and looked at Briony. "James is captain this year."

Briony brook her gaze from Scorpius' eyes. "Are you really?" she asked excitedly.

He nodded, his eyes shining. "McGonagall sent me an owl saying so this summer. Since Charlie Wood graduated last year, we were kind of left in a lurch. He was the best captain Gryffindor's had in _years_."

"Probably since Harry Potter himself!" agreed Briony, her face shining with admiration. "You'll be brilliant, James! Wow, Head Boy and Quidditch captain in the same year!"

"Mum and Dad definitely thought Fred Weasley would get it," Albus mumbled, but James just laughed.

"Tue, they thought I'd gotten in way too many predicaments to ever pull off Head Boy. And to be honest, I thought I had too." James shrugged. "But I hear that you've made prefect, Briony, so maybe the world's being made right again."

She laughed. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Who's Head Girl?" asked Scorpius.

"A girl from Ravenclaw, Emmeline something, forget her name," James said dismissively, as if it wasn't important.

"Well, you'll do _great_," Briony said reassuringly. "And I'm sure the cup is ours if you're captain, even if the team _is _dominated by Weasleys and Potters."

"Well if it weren't we would have a drastically worse and uglier team."

James turned around and grinned at the sound of the voice. "Rose!" He pulled her into a hug.

"Oh, stop it, James Potter." She smacked him on the arm. "I heard you've beaten my brother out to become the first boy in our generation of Weasleys to become Head Boy."

"Honestly, I don't think poor Hugo had much of a chance to get it first, considering he's been spending all his time in France," James said logically.

"True," Rose nodded. "Alright, I forgive you." She hugged him. "Hello, Albus, Briony, Scorpius."

All replied with greetings.

"Did Nana and Grandad drop you off?" asked James.

Rose nodded and rolled her eyes. "Yes, and then dashed outside to wait with your parents. _Honestly_, it's as if the Minister of Magic was arriving!"

Albus agreed, and then changed the subject, as he always seemed to be doing. "Have you seen Roldine, Rose?"

"Roldine?" asked Scorpius, his forehead wrinkling with confusion.

"Roldine Hathway--tall, reddish hair, prefect..." James described.

"I know who she is," said Scorpius, "but what about her? Do you fancy her?"

"No," Albus said quickly, rolling his eyes. "I just thought she might be here already. And Rose is friends with her..." All four turned towards Rose, who just shrugged. "Kind of. But I haven't seen her. Or anyone, really," she replied.

"That's because you love us so much," James grinned, putting an arm around Rose, "that you just can't stay away."

Rose laughed and Scorpius noticed it wasn't in a "that's ridiculous" kind of way, but in an amused sort of way.

"One more year and I'll be rid of you, James Potter," she said with a smile.

"Face it, Weasley," James grinned, "you'll never be rid of me."

"Only too true," she groaned. "I suppose in thirty years you'll still be apparating to my flat when you need me to tie your tie."

James grimaced. "My only weakness," he said, taking his arm from around her.

"What are you even going to do after you graduate, James?" Rose asked.

James groaned and turned somewhat away. "You sound like my mum!"

"No, if I was your mum I would have said that in a way more contradictory tone," corrected Rose. "But really, James..."

"Really?" James started to swivel his body from side to side, like a little kid. He looked up at the ceiling, thinking. "Dunno yet. Still deciding. But I was thinking I might become an Auror. You know, 'cause of my dad. And my name."

"You'd become an Auror because the man you were named after was one?" asked Briony.

James ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, 'sppose so. Fits doesn't it? And I think it'd be pretty cool too..."

"And pretty dangerous," commented Rose.

"Come on, Rosie," James jeered. "You're worried about me?"

"Just worried that you'll do something stupid," smirked Rose. "And then I'd have to name my kid after you, because you were noble or whatever.

James smirked. "You would _so_ name your kid after me anyway."

"Would not," argued Rose, wearing the same smirk, "but I would be obligated to if you died doing some Auror shit."

"Whoa," James mocked. "Profanity. And stop talking like that, Rose. I won't die. How could _I_, James Potter, die?"

"Aurors do dangerous stuff all the time," Rose said. "Deadly stuff."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean they die while doing it," Albus spoke up for his brother. "Our dad didn't. And your parents didn't. And neither did hundreds, maybe thousands of others."

For the first time in a while, Scorpius glanced over at Albus. His eyes widened when he saw that during the conversation Briony had become nestled under Albus' arm, in a way that she looked like she hope looked completely casual.

"Yeah," James said, breaking the silence that had accumulated over the shock of this new development. "See, not all die."

"But a lot do," contradicted Rose, sounding very much like how Ginny Potter had sounded when Scorpius had met her two years ago in Diagon Alley. "Your dad's parents, my dad and your mum's brother Fred, Dumbledore, both of Teddy Lupin's parents--"

"Teddy Lupin's getting married, by the way!" James suddenly shouted. "Just thought all would like to know!"

"I already knew it." Rose rolled her eyes. "I was at your house when he told you all."

"And I'm kind of your brother," Albus noted sarcastically.

"But thanks for interrupting me and changing the subject," Rose muttered.

"Ooh, who's Teddy marrying?" asked Briony. "That pretty blonde girl he's been dating since--"

"Forever?" James finished, laughing. "Yeah, Victoire, another one of our cousins."

"And he'll finally be a Weasley!" cheered Rose, forgetting to be mad at James.

"Like he wasn't already," commented Albus.

"So true, Albus," sighed James. "For so many years he's been wandering around our house stealing our food, sleeping over, flirting with our cousins..."

Briony laughed. "I don't blame him! There are so many--it's like a red-haired dating service!"

James grinned. "Well some of us aren't so lucky. Ever since you moved away, we have to go all the way to Hogwarts to find a girl who isn't related to us! Right, Albie?"

"Hm?" asked Albus, absentmindedly.

"Exactly my point," James finished, sarcastically. "Though I somehow think that the Hogwarts Weasley clan of girls is going to be growing this year, don't you, Al?" He looked pointedly at his brother, who got the message and stopped nuzzling with Briony.

"Yeah, er, I should go get a compartment before anyone I'm...not too fond of comes along."

James rolled his eyes. "Come _on_, Al, it's not like she's going to throw a fit or something here at the train station."

"I know she's not," said Albus, a bit defensively. "But I'd just rather not see her right now. Don't really want to ruin my first day back just yet."

"Albus," reprimanded James.

"James, I haven't seen her in nearly two years. A few more hours aren't going to hurt."

"Come on, Albus," James repeated. "It's not like she isn't going to be a huge part of your everyday life."

"She won't," argued Albus. "Everything is going to go on normally."

"Albus, she's going to be living with us--"

"Only if she gets into Gryffindor."

"Oh yeah, like she won't," scoffed James. "Practically everyone in our family is a Gryffindor, Albus."

"But she's not like everyone else in our family!" Albus exclaimed. "She's different! When are you going to see that?" He shook his head at James. "I'm going to go get a compartment. Briony, do you want to come?"

"Erm, sure," she said, giving James a sympathetic look before hurrying off after Albus.

James ran a hand through his already-untidy hair. "He's been acting like this all summer. And _honestly_, he calls _me_ the arse!"

"Don't be too hard on him, James," Rose said, logically. "He's only sixteen. He's bound to be going through some changes."

James looked at her, grinning maniacally. "Changes?" he repeated.

Rose rolled her eyes and shoved him. "You know what I mean. A lot's to be changing for him this year, which he probably won't like because things were so good for him last year."

James looked at her, rather blankly.

"He's _just sixteen_," she repeated for emphasis.

"You're just sixteen," countered James, "and I don't see you acting like this."

"Girls are different," Rose said simply.

"And thank God for that," James grinned.

"Alright, fine," said Rose, folding her arms across her chest. "Who will you be going after this year?"

"Dunno." James sighed, shrugging. "I mean I've really gone after all the girls at Hogwarts that I've ever potentially fancied..."

"James!"

"That's not a bad thing, Rose," James insisted. "I was never _terrible_ to any of them. Scorpius knows what I mean, don't you?"

Scorpius was startled when both heads turned sharply towards him. James looked at him expectantly while Rose was rather scowling at him. As to please both, Scorpius just shrugged.

"He does," supplemented James. "See Rose, while I've been occupying myself with the Gryffindor girls, Scorpius has been doing the same with the Slytherin girls. We share the Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuffs...well, they're pretty much occupied with their own House's boys."

"Can you blame them?" asked Rose. "The Hufflepuffs obviously have the majority of the best-looking boys."

"Thanks, Rose," James said morosely. "But yes, Hufflepuffs do tend to stick together these days. It's like a pretty-boy convention," he muttered under his breath.

"So what will you do now that you've womanized your way through the towers of girls at Hogwarts?" asked Rose, one eyebrow raised.

"Look for someone new, fresh." James grinned. "And I'm guessing you'll do the same, Scorpius?"

Scorpius shrugged again, smiling. "Will most likely have to."

"Well good luck with that, you two," Rose said, rolling her eyes.

"Thanks for the encouragement, Rosie," said James. "So who've you got your eye on first, Malfoy?"

Scorpius grinned and looked around the platform. Throngs of students were now congregating. Old friends reuniting, and new friends meeting. Little first years huddled by their parents, while older students hurried to find classmates. Scorpius' eyes grazed the students, until a flash of red caught his eye.

"There," he said, leaning towards James to show him.

"Where?" James asked.

Scorpius deliberately set his stare on the girl, who stood at the very far end of the platform. He didn't mind if a girl caught him looking at her--usually she would find it flattering.

"See over there?" he pointed past James. "Way down. Red-haired, little, dressed in blue, standing next to that boy with the brownish hair..."

James followed Scorpius' gaze.

"She's cute, isn't she?"

James paused a moment, then shook his head. "No."

"Yes she is."

"No," James repeated, with a half-smile.

"Why not?" Scorpius asked, scowling.

James burst out laughing. "Because that's my sister!"

Scorpius frowned. "What?"

James continued guffawing with laughter. "That girl is my sister!"

"But..." Scorpius stammered. "But you don't even have a sister!"

James gasped for a breath. "Yes, yes I do. And that's her. That's who we've been talking of this entire time!"

Scorpius turned to Rose with a look of utter shock on his face. "I didn't even know about her!"

Rose nodded. "It's true. That's Lily. And she's standing over there next to my brother Hugo."

"She's never gone to Hogwarts, has she?"

James shook his head. "No. She ran off to France with Rose's family when she was eleven. She's insane, that one, but brilliant. She could speak fluent French when she was five."

Scorpius glanced back at Lily Potter. "So she's in what, fifth or sixth year?"

Rose shook her head. "Fourth."

"What?" Scorpius exclaimed.

"Yeah," said James. "She looks older."

"It's not that," Scorpius said thoughtfully, "it's just that she...carries herself as if she is."

Rose smirked a bit. "Beauxbatons taught her well."

James agreed. "Yeah, that bit was all Beauxbatons. They taught her to be all prim and proper and stuff. But believe me, she isn't the bitch Albus maker her out to be."

"But she's in for quite an awakening," said Rose. "Hogwarts is like an uncivilized barn compared to an academy like Beauxbatons." She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Lily! Over here!"

Lily Potter caught glance of Rose and a smile came over her pretty little face. She made her way over to them, through the crowd. Rose caught hold of her and threw her into a hug.

"Lily!" she said excitedly. "I'm so glad you're finally here!"

"I know!" grinned Lily, who Scorpius noticed wasn't hugging back quite as tight as Rose was hugging her. But still, her brown eyes sparkled as she greeted her cousin.

"You look beautiful!" Rose smiled, stepping back to view her cousin.

"Thank you! So do you!" Lily replied pleasantly. "And Rose, thank you for all your letters you sent while I was away. I loved them."

"Of course!" exclaimed Rose. "We're cousins, aren't we?"

Lily smiled. "Oh Rose, you're truly one of the people I missed most while I was in France."

"Of course you didn't miss me, because I already had a place in your heart, didn't I, Lil?"

Lily let go of Rose and threw herself into James' arms. "James!" she squealed. "I missed you so much!"

"Missed you too, Lil," James said, grinning. "Where's Hugo?"

"Oh, he went to get a compartment with Louis already," she said dismissively, mentioning yet another Weasley cousin. "So Mum and Dad said you made Head Boy! I'm so proud!"

"And Quidditch captain," added Rose.

"So that means that you'll just have to try out for the team this year," said James," it can be almost completely dominated by Weasleys and Potters, except for Briony and Christian Prewitt who I admit is a great Beater."

"Merlin, I haven't even played Quidditch in three years!" Lily exclaimed. "I'll bet I forgot how!"

"A Weasley-Potter never forgets how to play Quidditch. It's in our blood," said James.

"Speaking of blood, where's that other boy who we call our brother?" asked Lily, glancing around.

"If you must know," said James with a snide smile on his face, "he is currently in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express, snogging the face off a girl I like to call Briony Talisman."

"What?" Lily cried. "Briony Talisman? That little girl who used to live next door to us?"

"Well, she's not that little anymore, Lil. It seems she's aged like the rest of us."

"What?" Lily repeated. "Albus is snogging her?"

"Don't sound so surprised, Lil. We Potter boys get around," James grinned. Rose snorted with disapproval.

"But Albus? Our brother Albus?" clarified Lily. "The boy who has the romantic capabilities of toad spawn?"

"Well apparently, he's evolved," laughed James.

Rose looked at him with slight contempt. "You don't know that's what they're doing up there."

"If you were a bloke trapped in a little train compartment with a pretty girl, what would you be doing? Comparing cauldrons?" James looked at Rose.

"Oh really?" asked Lily, "Briony is pretty now?"

James looked at her incredulously. "Briony's always been pretty."

"Yes, but is she pretty in a little girl way, like cute? Or is she more drop-dead gorgeous?" Lily asked.

James looked rather blank. "I dunno. Albus is the one snogging her, not me."

Lily sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, but James, is she really pretty? She grasped for words. "Is she prettier than me?"

James grinned and ruffled Lily's long red hair. "Of course not, Lil. Who could be prettier than a Potter?"

Scorpius was surprised to see a look of relief pass over Lily's face.

"Don't be worried about that stuff, Lil," said James. "By the way, this is Scorpius Malfoy," he gestured to Scorpius, "he's in the same year as Albus and Rose."

Scorpius smiled at Lily, who seemed to be studying him critically.

"A Malfoy, hm?" she said. "I think our parents hated each other while they were at school."

Scorpius' face dropped a little. "Erm yes, I suppose they did."

"And our grandparents before them."

"Er…yeah."

"So I suppose I shall have to hate you as well," concluded Lily.

Scorpius looked at her in surprise. Was this girl for real? This little sweet thing standing in front of him was publicly rejecting him? Maybe Albus was right. Maybe she was the bitch he made her out to be…

"I'm just kidding." A smile broke out over Lily's lovely face. "I would never do something like that, though my brothers might make you think I would, by the way they talk about me…"

"You know that's not me, Lily," James said quickly. "That's Al."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Whatever. But it's nice to meet you." For a moment Scorpius thought that she was going to hug him, and his mind ran away with the thought. How he would love to wrap his arms around that tiny waist of hers, her hair brushing against his shoulder…

But then Lily stuck out her hand towards him. A handshake.

Scorpius looked at her small hand a little confusedly. And then took it and shook. "Nice to meet you too, Lily Potter."

"Well we should be getting to the prefect compartment," said Rose, brightly. "Lily, I'll show you to the one that Hugo and Louis and no doubt a few other Weasleys will be. You can sit with them while we have our little meeting, and I'll come back for you later."

"Alright," Lily agreed, still holding an eye contact with Scorpius. "So I guess I'll see you later, Scorpius Malfoy."

Scorpius smiled at her usage of his full name. "Yeah. I'll be seeing you, Lily Potter."

She smiled and followed Rose into the train.

"Come on," said James, leading Scorpius towards the prefect's area. "So now you've met my sister," he said conversationally.

"Yeah," said Scorpius. And though he wanted to think of nothing but his schoolwork and Hogwarts and being a sixth-year prefect, his mind kept wandering back to the girl called Lily Potter. However distant and impersonal as she came off, he somehow felt an attraction to her. He wanted to get to know her more, and learn how her mind worked. He wanted to be her friend, and show her Hogwarts and his world.

'To answer your question, James,' Scorpius thought, 'I know exactly who I'm going for this year.'

He couldn't wait.


	3. Chapter 2: Rose

I sat curled up in the corner of the prefect's compartment, my knees up to my chin, leaning back on the train seat

I sat curled up in the corner of the prefect's compartment, my knees up to my chin, leaning back on the train seat. I picked at the Cauldron Cake in my lap, nibbling on it without really realizing. I have this habit of eating without really paying any attention. Mum says that it's good I'm naturally slim, because any normal person who ate as much as I do would surely have blown up like a balloon by now. I don't pay mind, though. All I was interested in at the moment was watching my cousin, waiting for him to make a thorough ass of himself as he performed his first job as Head Boy.

The compartment was bustling with all the prefects of the four houses. Next to me was Albus, arguing animatedly with Briony Talisman and Ravenclaw Keeper Dan Hastings, about Quidditch. All three wore ridiculous grins across their faces.

Slightly further down was Scorpius Malfoy, who sat talking with fellow Slytherin prefects Amara Zabini and Lucan Marcus. He too was smiling and looking very excited.

Standing in front of the sliding doors of the compartment was Annia Grinkov, the Head Girl, who looked positively terrified standing next to James, who was shuffling through papers while trying to make friendly conversation with her. As much as I love that dear cousin of mine, I have to admit that his social skills are not up to par. Honestly, most girls confuse his inborn friendliness with flirtation. Not that I can blame them though. I know he gets around. But I also know that he would never intentionally hurt a girl.

Taking another bite of the cake, I stole a look at James who was attempting to start a friendly conversation with Annia. She looked as if she would rather be in a room with a dementor.

James ran a hand through his scruffy black hair. Honestly, he has the messiest hair I've ever seen. As much water and gel and magic as his mum uses to try and glue it down, it resists as if it has a mind of its own. But the truth of it is, it looks good on him. Uncle Harry says that James looks just like his dad was when he was James' age. I don't know exactly how he knows this, because his dad died before Uncle Harry even turned one, but I guess he's seen pictures or something. I've never known Uncle Harry to lie.

But yeah, James has that fantastic messy hair and hazel eyes. And of course, that grin that always makes girls look twice.

And then there's Albus. I discreetly looked sideways at my cousin, who was laughing at something Briony said. Albus is good-looking too, but he doesn't show himself off in such an obvious way as James does, which is why sometimes girls overlook him. Albus has James' same black hair, only his is slightly more tame than James. Probably because of all the hair ruffling that James does during the day that Albus doesn't bother with. But Albus has something James doesn't--these amazing green eyes. They look just like Uncle Harry's, and supposedly just like Harry's mother's as well. Whomever he gets them from, its common fact that they are two of the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen.

"Sorry I'm a little late, everyone!" Roldine Hathway slammed the door behind her and hurried into the compartment, wearing the huge smile that was always plastered across her face. Next to me, I felt Albus stir with excitement.

"Not a problem, Roldine," James grinned at her and gestured for her to sit. "We haven't gotten started yet."

"Not surprising, since Potter's Head Boy!" yelled Colin Sumpter, a seventh year Gryffindor prefect, from his seat across the compartment.

James grinned even bigger and ruffled his hair. "Shut it, Sumpter. You know you love me."

"Might as well profess my love for you now!" laughed Colin, joking. Rose knew the two were good friends, even though James had beaten Dan out for Head Boy.

"Hey, Albus! Briony, Dan, Rose," greeted Roldine. She sat on the other side of Albus, who blushed furiously.

"Hey Roldine," said Albus, sounding much more confident than I knew he was. "How are you?"

"Lovely, thank you. And you?" She didn't wait for reply and kept talking. I attempted not to roll my eyes. "I just met your sister, Albus. I had been looking all over for her. Professor Flitwick entrusted me with the job of showing her around Hogwarts when she first gets here, just so that she knows her way around and has a friend. But I suppose you already knew that?"

"Erm," Albus began.

"I hadn't been able to find her all morning!" continued Roldine in her enthusiastic voice. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Briony look slightly startled by Roldine's dialogue. Unlike James' way of talking, which usually rather energized the person he was talking to, Roldine's speech just seemed to stress people out. Nice girl, though.

"And then I walked by a compartment that was almost fully occupied with Weasleys and that's where I found her. She's a very sweet girl, though she seemed rather nervous about the whole Hogwarts thing. I don't blame her of course."

I tried not to laugh, shoving another piece of the cake in my mouth. If there was something I knew about Lily Potter, it was that she was never ruffled in a new situation. What Roldine might have been mistaking for anxiousness was probably contempt for her new life.

"I promised her that she could stick by me when we got to Hogwarts. Oh, I know she has all of you to help her about and everything, but I think it might be nice for her to have someone non-family to be her friend." She looked expectantly at us.

No one spoke.

"Er, yeah. That might be nice, Roldine," Briony said pleasantly. I'm not surprised she was the one to congratulate Roldine. Briony's always been the nicest in any group. Sweet girl, that one.

"Thanks." Roldine beamed. "Your summer was nice, wasn't it, Albus? Oh, I do hope it was. I spoke to James a bit earlier while I was looking for your sister and he told me you had a good time. Going up to the cottage must have been lovely.

Did Lily go with you? Or was she still in France? France is so lovely. I don't blame her for wanting to go to school there. And Beauxbatons is supposed to be one of the best wizarding schools out there. Aside from Hogwarts, of course. Lily doesn't look a thing like you, though."

"Very astute of you," I muttered under my breath.

Albus elbowed me in the ribs and spoke over me. "No, we don't look much alike," he agreed.

I elbowed Albus back and brushed the crumbs from my lap, after finally finishing my treat. I hate it when Albus has one of his severe crushes. When he does it's like he puts all of his attention on her, disregarding his family and friends and life. And right now, his crush is definitely on Roldine.

I was the only one he told, and at the time I felt special that I was the person he confided in. It was a day at the cottage and we were sitting on some rocks by the water.

"What?" I had exclaimed. "Roldine? Roldine Hathway?"

"Yeah," Albus said, rather defensively. "Her. Why not?"

"I dunno. She's just a bit...energetic, don't you think?" I asked.

"There are worse things to be than energetic," scoffed Albus.

"But Al," I protested. "It's just that I don't think you two would work. I just always thought you would think her kind of...annoying."

Albus shrugged. "He can get a little over-enthusiastic, but that doesn't make me stop liking her."

"But Al," I repeated, growing more frustrated, "I just don't think that you two... go together."

His head snapped up. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his Weasley temper flaring.

"Nothing bad!" I assured him. "Just that...well I dunno. She's this peppy little bundle of happiness and joy that thinks that nothing bad is ever going to happen to her, and then there's you. Albus Potter who watches out for himself, who knows nothing's perfect, who reaches for the stars but doesn't expect anything..."

Albus pondered this. "That doesn't mean we couldn't work."

I shook my head. "Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe you are the dreamer that I never thought you to be."

Albus paused for a moment. "I hate you," he said. I looked up, expecting him to be mad at me, but instead found him smiling at me. I knew he had taken what I said to heart, but was still going to do things his way.

That's why I had acted dumb when Scorpius questioned Albus' asking me where

Roldine was at the platform that morning. And it was how I knew that Albus and

Briony weren't snogging in the compartment that morning, however cozy they might have looked at the platform. Briony was Albus' confidante, and he probably had taken her into the train so that he could vent about Lily. Too bad if everyone else thought they were snogging each other's faces off.

"Oi, Potter! Mind if we get started? I have a girlfriend to see to before we get to Hogwarts!" yelled fifth year Hufflepuff Johnny Louis.

"Calm down, Louis!" James yelled back. "Your girlfriend will still be there when we get done!" All the girls in the compartment murmured in agreement, resulting in scowls from most of the non-Hufflepuff boys.

"Okay then, let's get started," James the his papers aside and rolled the sleeves of his shirt up, revealing rather muscular arms. I cringed. Please don't turn this prefects meeting into a flirting session, I silently prayed.

"As you know, it's our job as prefects and Heads to patrol the halls at night and such. We patrol in pairs, just in case anything gets...messy." James shot a dangerous smile across the room. "So here are the pairs you'll be patrolling in."

Albus sat up straighter beside me. I knew he was hoping to be paired with

Roldine.

But alas, it wasn't meant to be.

"Scorpius Malfoy and Roldine Hathway."

Albus shot a death-glare to his brother, who ignored it.

"Rose Weasley and Colin Sumpter."

I looked sideways at Colin, who was grinning at me and gave a thumb's up. I giggled. I admit that however boisterous and loud that he may bay, Colin has always been a nice boy towards me. And in addition to that, he's also quite good looking.

I didn't listen to the next few pairings, so preoccupied was I with thoughts of my partner. Don't think me to be one of those boy-crazy girls, because I am not. I just like good-looking boys. And sweet ones. Who wouldn't?

"Albus Potter and Briony Talisman," announced James.

Albus sighed slightly. I nudged him and spoke softly so that only he could he hear. "That's not so bad. Even if you couldn't be paired with Roldine, you love Briony like a sister. You two can just talk and have fun the entire time."

"True," Albus replied.

"And of course Annia and I will be patrolling together as we are the Heads,"

James finished.

"A big head," snorted Colin.

"Did you really just say that?" laughed James. " 'A big head?' Are you joking?

What, are you five, Colin?"

I laughed. James can take any semi-insult and turn it into something else. As far as I know, he can't get offended.

"Anyways," James continued. "We have a few new students other than the first years, who by the way will need guiding to their boats when we arrive on the Hogwarts grounds. These new students include my sister, Lily Potter, who's just transferred from Beauxbatons. Fourth year."

"Oi, Potter!" called Nigel Smith, seventh-year Ravenclaw. "Do I have a chance with that sister of yours?"

James rolled his eyes. "Don't count on it, Smith. My sister is off-limits to gits." Resuming his professional voice, he continued, "The other transfer student is from Durmstrang, a girl named Amara Lestrange."

I sat up. "That name sounds familiar. Do we know her?"

"Dunno," Albus said, uninterestedly.

James gave us a look as if to say, "Shut up. I don't want my little brother and cousin ruining my first job as an authoritarian."

We both game him apologetic looks.

"She's a fifth year," said James. "So as prefects we should look after them, make sure they're getting along okay."

Albus snorted and muttered to me, "Imagine helping Lily Potter 'get along'." I laughed.

"Is that all, Potter?" asked Lor Zabini.

"Just a mo, Lor," said James patiently. "There's one more new student that we have to talk about."

"We have someone from Durmstrang and someone from Beauxbatons. What next, a home schooled student?" asked Briony.

"There are still home schooled kids?" asked Colin, in shock. "I thought that everyone had to go to a magical school if they were, you know, magical."

"That's what I thought, too," said Dan.

"No," said Scorpius. "A parent can school their child in magic at home if they want to. It just doesn't happen that normally anymore."

"So this girl is home schooled then?" asked Roldine.

"_Was_ home schooled," corrected Briony.

"No," said James, ending all discussion. "This girl is beyond anything the most original student Hogwarts has ever seen."

"What are you talking about, James?" I asked. "If she's not home schooled and she's not from another school..."

"We have to treat her the same as any other student," warned James, "but at the same time we have to help her. She's never had an experience like Hogwarts."

"What are you talking about?" asked Albus.

"It's our job as prefects and Heads to make her feel at home as possible," said James, trying to make us realize his seriousness in the matter.

"Potter, just tell us what you mean," said Colin. "We will act as appropriately as a prefect should."

I looked at Colin to check if he was joking. He wasn't.

All of the kids in the compartment looked at James, seriously.

"Her name is Reagan Carlisle," said James. "Professor Flitwick owled me about her earlier this morning."

"Okay, her name is Reagan Carlisle," said Albus. "What is so special about her?"

"Is she, like, a squib?" asked Roldine, sounding a bit degrading.

"There's nothing wrong with being a squib," Scorpius said, rationally.

"So she's a squib?" asked Briony. "What's she doing at Hogwarts?"

"Maybe there's some kind of rule against discrimination now," said Lucan, "like you can't discriminate against squibs anymore or something. So they have to take them at Hogwarts."

"Then why would we just be hearing about this new rule?" asked Roldine. "Why wouldn't they at least tell the prefects?"

"Because prefects aren't Merlin," Dan said. "We don't have to know everything,

Roldine."

"Don't be rude, Dan," reprimanded Briony in her soft, sweet way.

"All I meant was that even though we have the prefect status, that doesn't mean that we have to know as much about Hogwarts as, say, Professor Flitwick," reasoned Dan.

"Why did Professor Flitwick tell just you that he was allowing a squib into Hogwarts?" asked Lor. "Why didn't he tell the rest of us?"

"How is a squib going to survive in magic lessons?" asked Albus. "That's going to be a hard time."

"Everybody quiet!" yelled James. It was the first time I had seen him get upset in a long time. Someone like James doesn't get upset too often.

"Reagan Carlisle is not a squib," he said, with a voice as strong and commanding as I had ever heard it. "She is a sixteen-year-old girl from Oxford, England. She's going to be a sixth-year when she gets to Hogwarts. And she happens to be completely new to the magic world."

The room was silent.

"What?" Briony asked, quietly.

"She's never practiced any magic," said James. "Apparently she didn't even know about magic until this summer."

"How didn't she know?" Albus asked incredulously.

"I didn't know until I was eleven," said Dan. "I just thought all the weird stuff that was happening was part of my imagination. And then my letter came."

"Why didn't she get her letter when she was eleven?" asked Colin, a slight frown across his face.

"I dunno," said James. "I don't know much. All it said in the letter Flitwick sent me was that she just learned she was a witch and that she would be entering Hogwarts in her sixth year."

"Why would Flitwick even take her at this point?" asked Lor.

"Maybe because whatever mistake was made when she was younger, we might as well teach her magic while we can so that she doesn't completely lose the experience," said Scorpius.

"Exactly, Scorpius. That's how we should be thinking," said James, smiling at Malfoy. "And that's why Flitwick told me to assign one of us to be her mentor. To not only show her around, but catch her up on what she missed in her first through fifth years as well."

"I can do it!" Roldine volunteered at once. "I'm already showing Lily Potter around. It won't be a problem to show Raven around too!"

"Her name is Reagan," corrected James. "And as thoughtful of you as that might be," Dan coughed in the background, "you already have Lily in tow, and I don't want to put that much stress on you, since you have to keep up on all your prefect duties, I'd rather not have you in charge of both jobs, Roldine." She looked satisfied with his rejection.

Maybe James _is_ cut out for this job.

"I would do it if you wanted me to, James," offered Briony, kindly. And unlike Roldine, I knew that Briony wasn't doing it for status.

"Thanks so much for offering, Bri," said James, gratefully. "And I really appreciate it. Actually, you were my first choice with you being a girl and all. I mean, I thought it might be good for her to be with someone around her own age. But then I decided that with it being your first year as a prefect, I'd rather you focus on that right now."

"Besides, how would Briony be able to teach this girl fifth year spells when Briony's just entering her fifth year?" Roldine said. I was just realizing how much I dislike that girl.

"I'm sure she could have managed better than most," said James, trying to keep the peace. I know that he wanted to stick up for Briony in the worst way, but he wanted to be the Head Boy that he thought he should be. That's how I made my decision.

"I think that a Head should be her mentor," I said, loudly. "And I think James should be it. I can't think of someone better for the job."

"I second!" agreed Briony.

James grinned. "Thanks a lot, you two. But there is another Head we have to consider." He turned to Annia. "Do you want to be part of this?"

She considered, but shook her head silently. Honestly, how shy can you get?

"Well, Flitwick also recommended I assign a few more people to the job," James said. "Because her official mentor might not always be available"

"Doing Head Boy stuff," Briony grinned.

James grinned back. "So I thought of a few people I want to ask to help. Felt they might be up to the job."

"Okay, so go. Who are you recommending?" asked Dan.

"Well firstly, I'd like to ask Albus, the most scholarly person I know," James said.

Everyone congratulated Albus. Even though he's James' brother, we all knew Albus was chosen for a good reason. He's smart, and would be an intelligent teacher.

"And Dan. I think you'd be brilliant with this," James smiled.

This choice was more surprising. Dan was more of a blow-off person than Albus. But he is one of the most patient people I know, and would be a perfect teacher for this girl.

"Rosie, I want you to help out too," James added. I looked up at him, to see if he was joking. Aside from being appointed prefect, never had something like this been entrusted to me.

I smiled excitedly. "Of course, James! Thank you!"

He grinned back. "Yep. And the last person I'd like on the job would be Colin."

Colin looked up in complete surprise. "What?" he asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," James nodded. "I think you're perfect. You can provide support in an upbeat way." He smiled brightly, proud of his idea.

"Oh, I dunno," Colin said, suspiciously. "I just...I don't know if I'm qualified for this job."

"If you weren't qualified, I wouldn't have nominated you," reasoned James. "I think you could really help this girl."

"Yeah," encouraged Briony, "when I was having troubles in Transfiguration, Colin worked with me all night so that I could pass the test. And then I get the test back, and I got an E!"

"I remember that," nodded Dan. "And I remember when I wanted to learn how to commentate the Quidditch matches, even though I didn't know anything about Quidditch because I was Muggleborn. None of the other commentators wanted to help, except Sumpter. He spent a month's worth of Saturdays teaching me all the rules and stuff. He even taught me how to play."

"And when--" Lor began.

"Stop! Stop making this 'Colin Sumpter is Merlin' day!" Colin exclaimed. "That stuff wasn't anything, I didn't mind doing it. But that doesn't mean I'm good for this!"

"Yes it does!" I cried. "You've done so much for everyone without even thinking anything of it. That's what makes you perfect for this."

"Yeah, why are you so opposed to it?" Albus asked.

Colin glared at Albus in a way that I had never seen before. "I don't. I'm not.

That's why I'll do it, Potter."

James grinned at him. "Thanks, Colin." He then addressed all of us. "So this is what we'll do. I'll mentor Reagan every chance I can, but on the days I have to patrol or have a Head meeting or something with Flitwick, any of that, I'll have Albus, Dan, Rose or Colin step in. This will probably happen at least once a week so I'll have you four take turns mentoring or I'll pick who mentors based on their capabilities--"

"What do you mean 'capabilities'?" asked Dan.

"Like say if the girl has Charms homework that she needs help with, we'll ask the one who's most accomplished at Charms to take that particular night," explained Albus.

"Obviously that would be Rose," said Briony. "She's best in her year at Charms."

"True," agreed Albus.

"See how easy it is?" asked James. "We're going to have no problem with this." He looked rather excited. "And if there are any problems, we can discuss them at our weekly meetings."

"Weekly meetings?" asked Roldine.

"Yes, Wednesday nights," said James. "If you happen to be making the rounds that night, you are exempt from the meeting. Someone will fill you in later."

"And what if you're, er, aiding the girl?" asked Dan.

"She has a name, you know," said Briony. "You can call her Reagan."

"I've never met her," explained Dan. "It feels weird calling someone you've never met by their first name."

"You do it with Lois Granson all the time," Briony pointed out, naming one of the only two female players for the Chudley Cannons, and the best looking. Dan's face turned a bit red.

I saw the corners of James' mouth twitch, trying to contain a smile, as he attempted to continue. "If you're with Reagan she can come to the meeting. Or not. She's not like a puppy dog, you don't have to maker her follow you around everywhere," he replied.

"When are we going to meet Reagan, James?" I asked, eager to set upon my task.

"Well I have a meeting with her in Flitwick's office tonight." James ran a hand through his hair for the seventeenth time this morning? "After the feast and everything. She's not arriving until after supper."

"Why?" asked Lor.

"I don't know," James said, rather frustratedly. "I don't know much more than you do. But I promise to keep you updated when I do know more." He picked up his papers. "Here. These are the dates I'll need you to patrol, as well as a list of Hogwarts' rules and guidelines just to refresh you on everything you should be on the lookout for. As soon as you get your papers you're free to go. Periodically check the halls for any troublemakers. Remember, you are prefects.

You have authority. Just not too much authority."

The students hurriedly grabbed for their papers and left as if they'd been trapped in the compartment for hours.

"Are they really that anxious to leave?" James asked when only Albus, Briony and

I remained.

"Oh no, James. You were brilliant!" Briony said, gathering her papers. "It's just that it's the first day back and people want to catch up with their friends and boyfriends and girlfriends and crushes and all that." She hugged James. "I should catch up with Dan. He said he was going to save me a place in his compartment, but I'll see you later. Again, you were brilliant."

James watched with admiration as she left the cabin. "There should be a doll of Briony. And there'd be an enchantment on it so that whenever you hug it, it gives you a compliment or motivation or something."

"There should," agreed Albus.

"That'd be a good-looking doll, too," James mused. "So what's up with Briony and Dan anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the way they talked and looked at each other the entire meeting. Didn't you notice?"

Albus shrugged. "Not really."

"Well I would notice if I had been snogging her only minutes before," noted James.

"We weren't snogging!" Albus insisted. "We were just talking!"

"Oh really?" asked James. He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, really. And I would know if Briony liked Dan like that. Which she doesn't."

"Oh and I suppose she told you this while you were talking," James mocked.

"Exactly!" exclaimed Albus.

"Rose, what do you think?" asked James, turning to me. "Don't you think Briony fancies Dan? Or he fancies her?"

"Why do you always need to ask a second opinion on everything?" I asked, burying my face in my hands.

"Rose."

"Yes, I do think that Dan fancies Briony a bit. But honestly, I think that every bloke fancies Briony a bit. I mean, who can't like that sweet thing?"

"See," James said triumphantly.

"But I don't think that Briony fancies Dan," I continued. "I think that Briony likes him in a brotherly way, because he kind of takes care of her you know? And they're good like that. I can't see them together."

"Me either," Albus said, taking his cue to sound triumphant.

"Well what about you, Al?" James asked. "How do you like Briony?"

"The same as I've always liked her," Albus said, as we began to walk towards our compartment. "Ever since we were kids. As a childhood friend."

"Yeah, well Teddy and Victoire were childhood friends too," said James. "And look how they ended up."

"I can't even think of that, James," Albus cringed. "It's so weird. I can't think of Briony like that. Can you?"

James shrugged a bit. "I could it I wanted to. But I don't."

"Why not?"

"Because...because she's little Briony!" exclaimed James.

Albus cringed. "Exactly."

James rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever. All I know is that you two looked rather cozy together back on the platform this morning."

Albus opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. He closed it.

James smirked. "So who are you fancying, Rosie?"

"No one," I replied simply. "Like you told Roldine, I have to concentrate on my prefect duties."

James laughed. "I only told her that to shut her up. Merlin, she can be annoying."

I agreed. "Albus. I don't know how you can possibly--" I stopped myself just in time, before I revealed my cousin's secret.

Albus gave me a stunned look.

"How what?" James asked, not checking on. He slid open the door of our compartment, waiting for us to follow.

"How, erm, Albus puts up with her," I finished, looking at Albus. "You know, since they were prefects together last year and hall partners and he had to listen to her dribble all the time."

"True," remarked James. He flopped down on the seat of the compartment. "And that's why I gave you Briony as a partner this year."

I nudged Albus as we sat on the opposite seat. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Thanks a heap."

James frowned at him. "I thought you would be happy with Briony."

"I am," Albus assured him, "and thanks. It's just that I don't want to spend forever hiding away with Briony."

James looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?"

Al leaned back and looked out the window. "Nothing."

"But really, James," I smiled, trying to bring back a conversation, "you were fantastic at the meeting. You controlled everyone so well."

James smirked. "Except for when the conversation turned toward the new girl."

"Oh really James? You've gotten so desperate that you're trying to hitch the first new one you find?"

We turned toward the door and I felt a shock of excitement coarse through my body as I looked up and saw a tall individual with rather messy black hair, startling blue eyes and a grin spread across his face, sliding open the door of our compartment.

"Teddy!" I exclaimed, jumping up to hug my almost-cousin. Oh well. It didn't matter that he wasn't officially part of our family yet. Teddy had been a Weasley ever since he was born.

"Teddy Lupin!" James grinned. "What are you doing here and why does your hair look similar to mine?"

"I just thought that since I was entering a compartment with Potters, I might as well resemble them a bit." Teddy grinned back and sat next to me. Teddy is a metamorphmagus, just like his mum was. He can change his appearance at will to anything he pleases. "Hey Al." Al smiled back at him.

"So what are you doing here, Teddy?" asked James, not impolitely.

"Well, I suppose you'll be the first to know," Teddy said, rather excitedly.

"I'm now on staff at Hogwarts."

"What!" I exclaimed. "Teddy, that's fantastic!"

He grinned. "Thanks, Rosie."

"What will you be doing?" asked Albus.

"I'll actually be working as a professor."

"Fantastic!" James cheered. "Our professor will be Teddy Lupin! Finally, a professor who doesn't throw me out of class at every little Exploding Snap game piece I throw at Michael Fruhner!"

"What are you teaching, Teddy?" I asked.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Teddy said proudly. "Now come off it," Teddy said watching us cast suspicious looks at each other. "I know about that whole 'position is a curse' rumor. I remember it from when I was at Hogwarts."

"Back in the founding years of Hogwarts," muttered James.

"But that's not going to happen to me," continued Teddy. "I'm not going to get sacked or killed or anything like that. Because I already told Flitwick that I would only be staying one year."

"What?" exclaimed Albus.

"But you're Teddy Lupin!" cried James. "Remus Lupin's son! My dad says that yours was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher he ever had! You'd be brilliant! Why wouldn't you stay on for more than a year?"

"Not that it'll affect you," I pointed out. "You'll be gone by next year."

"Yes, but sometimes I actually do look after the best interests of people other than myself," James said sarcastically.

"So why won't you be staying, Teddy?" asked Albus.

"Because after Victoire and I get married next summer we want to settle down," explained Teddy. "And I have to go back to my real job-- being an Auror."

I groaned. "Why must every person in my family be an Auror?"

Teddy looked at me quizzically.

"Ignore her. She has issues," James said simply. "But is that why they picked you as the new teacher? Because you're an Auror?"

"I suppose that a big part of it," said Teddy. "Because I've had some real experience."

"Wow, this is going to be a great year," grinned Albus, contradicting what he had been saying all summer. "Our last Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's previous experience was working at a sword shop in Diagon Alley."

"I'm flattered to fill his shoes," Teddy said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"So you'll really be teaching us Auror stuff?" Albus asked excitedly.

"Well of course I'll have to be teaching the first years all the basics," Teddy explained. "Expelliarmis and all that. But for the sixth and seventh years I'll be teaching powerful counter-jinxes, defensive spells, wordless charms..." he said excitedly. "Of course all of you will be taking it, won't you?"

"Yes, all three of us are," I said.

"Good," Teddy smiled and sighed in what sounded to me like relief. "What else will you be taking?"

"Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology,

Potions...everything required for most jobs," said James. "And everything I could handle in N.E.W.T. form."

"And you two?" Teddy asked.

"About the same, just in O.W.L. form," Albus answered for the both of us. "Except I'm taking Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies and Rose is taking Arithmacy and Divination."

"Divination?" asked Teddy. "Is it any different from when I took it at Hogwarts? Waste of time."

"Yes it is," I announced, while James and Albus guffawed in the background. Both consistently told me what a soft subject they thought Divination to be. "Firenze is my teacher and he's absolutely brilliant."

"Well I had Trelawney, so I'll just have to take your word for it," Teddy smiled. "So what's this about a new girl?"

"She's new at Hogwarts," said James. "And she's sixteen. But she's never had any magical training in her life."

"Oh, her." Teddy nodded. "Flitwick told us at the staff meeting. Don't know much about her do they?"

James shrugged. "The letter I got from Flitwick only covered the very basics."

"Ahh yes. He also told us about the special job he was going to be awarding a few students," Teddy said. "So who'll be the mentors?"

"James is mentor." I smiled. "We nominated him."

"And Rosie, Al, Dan and Colin are going to help," finished James.

"Dan and Colin...?"

"Dan Hastings and Colin Sumpter," said James. "Dan's parents are both Muggles, you wouldn't know them. And Colin's...well, I'm not even sure about what they do."

"I think his dad might be a Healer at St. Mungo's," Albus contemplated.

"Yeah, I dunno," said James. "All I know is that Colin is right for this job."

Teddy nodded. "So you think you got this under control?"

James nodded. "Oh yeah. Thanks, Teddy."

Teddy nodded again and stood up, ready to leave. "Well, now that I've seen some of my favorite future cousins, I suppose I'll go patrol the corridors like a good teacher."

James grinned. "Favorite future cousins?" he repeated.

Teddy grinned back. "Don't tell Dom, or Hugo or Lily or Louis or any of them in the other compartment. I'll see you few later at the Feast." He slid the door shut behind him.

"Teddy Lupin, our Defense teacher," James grinned. "Who would have thought?"


	4. Chapter 3: James

I felt a huge, uncontrollable grin spread across my face

I felt a huge, uncontrollable grin spread across my face. I seem to have this problem of showing my inside feelings on my face, whether I want to or not. The grin appears at the most inconvenient times--during a lesson, at a meeting, or attending a funeral. Even though my girl cousins say that the grin is a misfortune to have, my boy cousins say that it's a gift. That same grin is the often the reason I'm exempt from punishments, as well as a reason for all my attention from girls.

I can honestly tell you that going into my third year, I was not looking for attention from girls in any way. But once I saw that they were coming to me, I started to get used to it. Then I even started to like it. And that's how I turned into the person I am today.

Mind you, my grin isn't usually present because of a girl. And in this particular instance, it was definitely not about a girl.

I stood near the doorway of the Great Hall. The hundreds of students of Hogwarts were filing in, following the prefects who were guiding them to their correct tables, though the students didn't need the help. Hogwarts is like a home, sometimes more than the students' own homes. And this night, September 1st of my seventh year, I felt like I was home.

"Hey James."

I turned my head to see Samara Kay walking up to me, a smile painted across her pretty face.

"How was your summer?" she asked. I noticed how she looked fantastic in her Gryffindor robes, her blonde hair falling like a shiny waterfall of gold down her back.

"It was great, thanks," I said. I shifted uncomfortably. "Thanks for your letter in August. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to reply."

"Oh it was no problem!" she assured me. "I knew you were probably busy. I just wanted to let you know that I still remembered you."

"Thanks," I said. I looked at the floor, just attempting to avert my gaze from her clear blue eyes.

I knew that Samara had been the best girlfriends I had ever had. She was one of those girls who could balance everything perfectly. She didn't cling on me too much, but was still around for all the stuff that, er, girlfriends should be around for. She had a good attitude about her, always. And she could turn any bad mood of mine into a good one. And lastly, she was easily one of the best-looking girls in her year.

But I couldn't handle it. I had broken it off with her a few weeks before school got out last year, much to the disappointment of my cousins, brother and parents (who I'm sure were hoping the two of us would marry; that's how wonderful Samara is).

So now I stand in front of the most beautiful girl in the Hall, a bit regretful of what I had done, but knowing I wouldn't change it even if I could. I have my reasons.

"How was your summer?" I asked, still avoiding her eyes. I ran a hand through my hair. "You said you were going to Berlin? How was that?"

"You remembered," Samara said, surprised. A smile lit up her face. "It was nice, really beautiful. My family lives in Germany so it was nice visiting them." She nodded.

"That's great," I said, trying to sound at least a little enthusiastic, but it apparently wasn't working.

"So I heard you made Head Boy!" Samara said, conversationally.

"Yeah," I replied, thankful for the topic. "Yeah, I got the owl this summer. It was really a huge shock."

"There's no one more perfect for the job," Samara said. "I'm really glad you got it."

"Yeah, thanks." I said. "Me too. I was rather surprised when you didn't get Prefect though."

Samara shook her head. "I wouldn't get it. That belongs to Rose. She had it last year and everything and was brilliant at it, I had no chance."

"You would have been fantastic," I said. I hated not being able to grin at her anymore. If I did, I knew that I wouldn't able to stop. I already felt myself growing soft with her again. It was like a relapse from last year.

She smiled softly. "Thank you."

We both looked down at the floor, feeling a bit uncomfortable. I knew that I hadn't finished things with her the way I wanted to. To tell the truth, I didn't want to end things with her at all. I just didn't want her to get hurt. But she ended up getting hurt anyway.

Maybe I could make things better. I wanted her to smile and hug me like she used to. I wanted her to be able to cry in front of me when she was sad. I wanted to be able to confide in her again.

"Samara," I began.

"James!"

"Samara!"

We both turned at the sound of our names, in a rather reluctant way.

"James, I'm sorry that I didn't make it to the Prefect meeting." Fred Weasley ran up to me and started apologizing profusely. "Me and Roxanne missed the Express and we had to drive Dad's car al the way up to Hogsmeade. And then we had to walk all the way up to Hogwarts. And then we had forgotten our bags, so we had to get Dad to--"

"Samara, Connor and I have been looking all over for you!" Samara's best friend Lena Briggs and their friend Connor Hastings, Dan's older brother, rushed up to Samara. "Connor says that Christian saved us some seats in the Great Hall so that we can sit with him! Come on!" She began to pull Samara away by the arm.

Samara gave me an apologetic (and disappointed?) look as she followed her friends into the Great Hall. "Bye, James. I'll see you later?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'll see you."

I watched as Samara slowly entered the Great Hall, following Lena and Connor. I suppose she wasn't walking that slowly in reality, but it looked that way to me. It was like a reminder of my mistakes, this beautiful girl walking away from me. I had to do something about it.

Fred Weasley was still next to me, telling his story. "So Dad met us in this Muggle town and when he was giving us our bags and stuff, our wands fell out and he tried to explain what they were to the Muggles and--"

"Be right back, Fred," I interrupted, and tore off after Samara. "Mara!" I called. I grabbed her arm and turned her to face me. "Mara..."

Samara looked at my face; hers was contorted into a mix between confusion and a frown. "What is it, James?" she asked.

I grasped for words, but it felt like everything I had wanted to say to her had flown out of my head in the few moments it took me to get to her. My eyes wandered around her face.

"What, James?" she repeated, not smiling. She looked rather impatient, actually. That's strange for her.

I completely lost it. I gave up. "Nothing, Samara. I...I hope you have a good start of year."

She gave me a little smile, nothing like she used to give. "Thanks, James. Don't worry, we'll talk later or something."

I nodded and tried to curl my lips into a smile, without success. "Yeah, that'd be great, Samara."

She turned again and started walking to the tables.

"Samara!" I called after her. At the time I didn't realize how stupid or desperate I must have looked to the rest of the students.

She looked at me.

"I…" I began. My throat felt like it was filled with cotton. Is there a spell someone could have put on me that turned me into a huge cotton swab? Shut up, James, I told myself, you're being stupid. Just talk to Samara. You always used to be able to. "...I miss you."

She gave another little smile. "I miss you too." She looked away and went to sit with her friends.

I sighed out of the corner of my mouth. Who knew that the invincible James Potter could be turned into a swarbling idiot by some blonde bombshell?

"Bad time, James," said Fred, coming up to me, "it happens to the best of us." Fred and I always talked about girls, way more than Albus and I ever have. Fred's my age, my Uncle George's kid. He's not around as much as Rosie or Victoire, but you can count on the fact that he'll arrive at the most unexpected times.

"I just never know what to do about her," I said. "All summer I thought I was over her. And then we come back..."

"Aye, I know how that feels," Fred nodded. "Except mine is with Lena Briggs."

I rolled my eyes. "How many years are you going to obsess over that girl? She's hardly given you any attention in the six years you've gone to school with her."

"But this year will be different," Fred insisted. "This year she's going to notice me. Not only notice me, but fall completely in love with me."

I scoffed. "You aren't in love with Lena."

Fred gave me the Look that seems to circulate so rapidly within the Weasley relations. I see it from Rose at least once a day.

"How would you know?" asked Fred. "Like you've ever been in love."

"Even if I was, I wouldn't tell a git like you," I replied.

Fred rolled his eyes. "Whatever. This year is going to be different. Me and Lena are going to be different."

"You say that every year."

"Exactly. Mustn't lose hope, Jamesy," Fred called over his shoulder as we began to walk to our table.

"James! Freddy! Over here!" called Briony. She beckoned for us to come over.

"Where's Albus?" I asked, sitting down with Fred near our group of friends. "And

Rosie and Lily?"

"Lily and Rose are both down there," she pointed much further down the table, where a group of the younger Weasleys and Rose sat. "And Albus went to say hello to Teddy at the staff table."

"Hey, mate," greeted Sean Finnegan, who sat next to Mike Thomas. Their families were good friends and the two were more like brothers than best friends. My dad says that their dads were best friends at Hogwarts, like Dad and Ron and Hermione were.

"Hey, Seamus. Good summer?"

"Great," he replied. "Thanks. Charlie came with us on vacation."

Charlie Corner laughed. "Sean got so pissed at Mike's sister that he almost sealed her in one of those mummy tombs."

"Until I kicked some sense into his ass," grinned Mike, punching Sean on the shoulder.

"I absolutely believe you did that," Albus said sarcastically, joining the table. He sat next to Briony.

"And what did you do this summer, Potter?" asked Sean. "Lose another kissing contest?"

Sean and Albus, although friends, had a competitive edge to their relationship. They were always holding contests and competitions. The last one before school was let out the previous year had been a kissing contest. Sean had bet that Albus couldn't kiss a girl as long as he could, and Al had taken him up on it. For over three hours the two had snogged their girls (Al was snogging a girl named Marie Tamblyn while Sean snogged Lena Briggs, much to Fred's dislike). Finally, Albus had stopped kissing to turn away form his girl and sneeze, ending the contest. He still hadn't lived it down.

"Shut up, Sean," Briony defended Albus. "I thought it was very sweet that Al considered the girl he was kissing and didn't sneeze in her mouth. Besides, some girls don't fancy boys like you, who just want to snog them and nothing more."

Sean smirked. "And how was your summer, Briony? Have fun with old Gran?"

"Briony and I had a fantastic summer," Dan said, from his seat on the other side of Briony.

"What do you mean, Dan?" asked Mike. "Did you two spend you summer together?"

"Practically," Briony grinned.

"You didn't mention that to me," said Albus.

"She doesn't need to report to you, Potter." Sean rolled his eyes. "So what are you two shagging now? Get an apartment together in the city?" Briony flushed a bit.

"Shut it, Finnegan," I said. "Do you honest-to-Merlin think that Bri would in a million years do that? No."

"I've so missed your defensive talk, James," Aurora Nikolas took the seat next to me at the table and gave me a hug. "It just wasn't the same not seeing you for two months."

I grinned. "I missed you too, Nikki." Nikki and I had an interesting relationship. Neither of us wanted anything intimate with each other, yet we were still good friends. "Aren't you excited to finally be a seventh year?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "Finally!"

"Sorry to break up the reunion," said Fred, interrupting, "but I want to hear what went on in Dan and Briony's summer."

"Okay," Dan said, smiling. "So we weren't like living together or anything, but we just spent a lot of time together, hiding away from our houses. Because Connor had those girls Lena and Samara over every two seconds--"

"Lena?" Fred interrupted again. "Why was Lena always around? Are they going out now or something?"

Dan shrugged. "Close to it. I dunno, but she was always over this summer."

"And my brother always had his little twelve-year-old friends over, so I would try and stay out of there as much as possible." Briony smiled.

"And my house is just a block over from Briony's dad's," continued Dan.

"So we just spent as much time together as we possibly could," finished Briony. "I'm sorry I didn't mention it, Albus," she apologized.

"Students, please take your seats," Professor Flitwick's magically loud voice filled the hall. "The school year is about to begin."

A hush came over the Hall as the students finished conversations and sat at their respectable tables.

"Welcome to the brand new year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The teachers wish to an extend a hearty greeting to all students, new and returning." Flitwick's feeble voice fed through the Hall. "I would firstly like to introduce new additions to the staff."

I sat straighter in my seat, looking for Teddy at the staff table. He sat near the end, by the huge mountain that was Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Teddy wore his staff robes, and his hair had been returned to its natural brown. I suppose he thought it had to look professional or something.

"Firstly, after our much esteemed Muggle Studies teacher retired, we were glad to welcome our accomplished alumni Cho Chang back to Hogwarts."

The students cheered as Chang stood and smiled, her long black hair tied into a plait running down her back.

"Doesn't Dad know her?" asked Albus, shouting over the noise.

I shrugged. "I guess. But she's not a Muggle-born. Why is she teaching it?"

Albus shrugged as well and we turned back to Flitwick, who stood on a stack of chairs behind the staff table.

"Second, as many of you know already, our last Potions teacher was, ahem, disposed of," Flitwick cleared his throat.

Al and I looked knowingly at each other. Dad had told us about what happened to the old teacher. Apparently he had been caught brewing some illegal potion or something and was fired from his position.

"So for the first time in ten years, we are required to fill the position of Potions master," Flitwick continued. "Please welcome Luciano Marcello, Hogwarts' new Potions Master."

The very Italian-looking man at the staff table nodded in gratitude as the students applauded politely. Fred leaned over to me and muttered, "Doesn't look like of much of a hard-ass, you think?"

"I dunno," I replied. "If he is, we'll take care of it."

Fred agreed, but shut up as Flitwick spoke again.

"And lastly, we have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year." Albus, Fred and I grinned at each other. "His father graced Hogwarts over twenty years ago, when he taught the same subject, and became one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers we've had. We now welcome his talented son, who I'm sure will follow in his father's footsteps. Teddy Lupin."

The Gryffindor table absolutely erupted with cheers, the Weasley relations going crazy. Teddy grinned from the staff table and nodded to the students.

"Alright, settle down," said Flitwick, looking quite pointedly at Roxanne and Louis Weasley, who were practically on the table cheering.

Once the students had quieted, Flitwick resumed his speech. "We hope that each staff member and student gains experience and intellect this upcoming year. And two of the students who will be gaining this valuable experience are the new esteemed Head Boy and girl-- James Potter and Annia Grinkov."

Again, the Weasleys erupted with cheers, along with the entire Gryffindor table.

The Hufflepuffs were cheering for Annia as well, and she looked absolutely mortified. I grinned and looked down the table at Samara, whom I thought would be looking at the Weasleys as if they were completely mental.

I thought wrong.

She sat next to Connor and Lena, smiling laughing. But not only that, she was cheering.

My grin grew larger when I saw this.

"Knew it would be a Weasley!" Fred yelled.

When the noise had finally died down, Flitwick said, "Let these Heads pass on the experience they have to the next generation of students. Let us welcome the new first years of Hogwarts."

We all turned to the back of the Hall, where the first-years were filing in, following Professor Vector.

"Damn the old bat's getting old," Fred whispered as he watched her walk down the aisle.

"She's not that old," I replied.

Fred gave me the Look. "Uh, yeah she is. Look at her."

I looked at Vector. Her silver hair was tightly pulled back into a bun; her face was crinkled and lined. "Yeah, but you have to admit, she's an extraordinary witch."

"Extraordinary at getting on my ass every day," muttered Fred. I laughed.

"Please stand in front of the stool, students," directed Vector. The first years obeyed, but looked absolutely terrified when the hat on the chair in front of them began to sing.

Rather than listening to yet another Sorting Hat song, I spoke with my table about the first years who were gathered around the singing hat.

"That girl, three down from the boy with the blonde hair, she looks just like Amy Madson. You know, that girl from Ravenclaw? The seventh year?" Fred mused.

"Well that little girl over to the right looks so familiar," Nikki, pointing.

"That's because she's my sister, dimwit," Mike said, rolling his eyes. "That's Marnie."

"Look, there's the last Hastings brother," Fred told me. I looked at the first years and spotted Dan and Connor's little brother Austin. He looked just like the other two, with sandy brown hair and green eyes.

"And there's mine!" Briony called, pointing to her own brother. He was small, like her and her other brother Sam. He had dusty brown hair and blue eyes.

"What's his name, Briony?" asked Fred.

"Remus," she said with a little smile. "My mum named him after Teddy's dad."

"Hey, James," Fred said softly, nudging me. "Look at the kid next to Briony's brother." My eyes traveled to a tiny boy with clear blue eyes, so much like those of the girl I had yearned for just minutes earlier.

"Is that Samara's brother?" I asked, squinting to see him better.

"Dunno," said Fred. "But it sure looks like her. Maybe it's her cousin or something. I didn't even know she had a brother, did you?"

I shook my head. "No. That's why this is such a big surprise."

I again stole a glance down the table at Samara. She seemed to be listening to the Sorting Hat's song intently. She gave no indication if the boy was her brother or not.

"I wish that we could eat our supper while the Sorting goes on," said Nikki, rubbing her stomach. "So we could eat while we watch. Like a TV dinner."

"Like a what?" asked Fred, ever oblivious to all things Muggle. Nikki was Muggleborn and still lived like one while on school vacations.

Nikki rolled her eyes. "Never mind."

"It's a good idea though," said Sean. "I could go for eating right now. Maybe we should take it up with the house elves."

"Didn't Rose's mum work for their benefit rights or something?" asked Dan. "Maybe we should get her to talk to them about it."

"Can't you guys just last a few minutes during the Sorting to eat?" asked Fred.

Nikki snorted. "Like you should talk. I've seen you polish off an entire turkey by yourself."

"So true," Fred remembered fondly.

"Remus has been worried all summer that he won't be put in Gryffindor," Briony confided. "I don't even know what to say to him at this point."

"I was worried about the same thing when I first came to Hogwarts," said Albus. "I was so scared that the Hat would put me is Slytherin."

"Why weren't you put in Slytherin?" Briony asked.

Albus shrugged. "It wanted to put me in there. But it knew I wanted to stay out of Slytherin more than anything. So it decided to put me into Gryffindor, even though it thought I could do better in Slytherin."

"Do you regret it?" asked Briony. "Not going into Slytherin?"

Albus smiled at her. "Not at all. Not for a moment."

"It almost put me in Ravenclaw," said Nikki. "But it decided Gryffindor at the last moment."

"Yeah, me too," said Briony. "Except it almost put me in Slytherin too."

"Really?" I asked. "Did you get out of it the same way Al did?"

"No," she replied. "I wasn't worried about getting into Slytherin. And that's why it put me in Gryffindor."

"Wow," I said. "That's cool."

"Mhm," she agreed.

"Hey," Fred nudged me again. "How are they gonna sort Lily? I mean, she's not up there with the first years."

"Dunno," I said, "but I'm not worried about it. Lily will get sorted."

"I hope she's in Gryffindor," said Fred. "Grandad won't be happy if she's not. And as weird as it sounds, I don't like it when Grandad's mad."

"Me either," I agreed. "When he's down, he just brings everyone down with him."

"Are we all going home at Christmas holidays?" asked Albus.

"From what I know, yes," I replied, watching as Avery, Jordan was sorted into Slytherin. "All of us."

"Oh, I do miss Christmas parties at your house," sighed Briony. "That's one reason I wish I still lived with my mum."

"Move back!" insisted Albus. "Please, Briony? We miss having you next door! And then you can come with your mum to our Christmas party!"

"Or you can just come with your dad and Sam and Remus," I suggested.

"Oh yeah," Briony said sarcastically. "I'm sure your dad, who's been friends with Mum for years, would be quite keen on inviting her estranged husband and his two kids from another marriage over for Christmas."

I shrugged. "Just a thought."

"Couldn't you stay with you mum for the holidays?" Albus asked. "Or you could stay with us."

"Yeah!" I exclaimed. "Stay with us!"

"I wish I could," Briony said regretfully. But I don't really want to leave Remus with Sam and Dad. They just don't get along. I have to be the peacemaker in the family."

I scoffed. "You're the peacemaker everywhere, Bri Bri."

"Remus should come stay with us too," suggested Albus, watching Edwards, Belinda become a Hufflepuff. "It would be cool."

"I want to," assured Briony. "I miss you guys. I just have to talk it over with my mum and everyone. But I do want to."

"Guys, my brother is almost about to go up!" Dan sat straight in his seat, looking at his brother.

We all turned to watch as Vector called out, "Hastings, Austin," and little Austin Hastings walked nervously to the stool, sat, and the Hat was placed upon his head.

We waited.

It took a moment for the Hat to shout out, "Gryffindor!" and the Gryffindor table exploded with cheers.

"Not really a surprise, is it?" Dan yelled over the cheering. "Both Connor and I were sorted into Gryffindor. Austin had to join us!"

Austin ran to our table and Dan moved away from Briony to give Austin room on the bench. He introduced his little brother around. "You know Bri, and this is Albus, James, Nikki, Fred, Sean, Charlie and Mike."

Austin smiled, still looking a bit nervous.

"Hey, James," Fred interrupted us. "That boy is about to go."

Vector waited patiently as Kalvin, Kaitlyn hurried over to the Ravenclaw table. She then announced, "Kay, Jonas."

Both Fred and I turned at looked at Samara, who was watching interestedly with a slight smile on her face. "Still can't tell if it's her brother," Fred said.

"They're definitely related," I decided. "And he looks just like her. I'd say it's her brother."

Jonas Kay walked up to the stool and sat. The Sorting Hat was placed upon his head.

I looked back at Samara again. She was waiting patiently, but a shadow crossed her face when the Hat decided, "Slytherin!"

"What?" gasped Fred. "Whoa, didn't see that coming."

"Neither did Samara, by the look of her face," I said, equally surprised.

"Well, I guess it goes to show that families aren't always put together," Fred concluded. "Even siblings."

"That's not Samara Kay's brother," interjected Dan, from across the table. Both Fred and I turned to look at him.

"He isn't?" asked Fred.

Dan shook his head. "No. It's her cousin, from Germany. She saw him when she traveled there this summer and his parents decided to send him to Hogwarts. They're definitely not siblings."

I looked at Fred. "How do you know this?"

"In case you haven't heard, Lena and Samara practically spent their breaks at our house," Dan said. "Except for the time when Samara was in Germany or when Lena was going with her family to Luxembourg."

"It's true." Briony nodded. "Every time I went over there this summer I saw them."

"Not that it's a bad thing," Dan said hurriedly. "I don't care much for Lena," a death glare was shot at him from Fred, "but Samara's okay. She's nice and everything."

"She is," agreed Briony. "One time she went to Dan's house to see Connor, but their family wasn't home because they were on vacation. So she came over my house instead and we went to the cinema and stuff. She had never been before, it was a big thing before."

I felt myself smiling. I could just imagine Samara getting excited about going to see a film. I remember when we were dating I had given her a pretty little doll I had bought from a Muggle store during Easter break. It was little and blonde with blue eyes, and said little things when you hugged her.

"How does it work?" Samara asked excitedly. "Is there some sort of charm on it?"

"No," I replied, trying to show her how the doll worked. "It has a whole system inside. It feels when you hug the doll and then makes the noises come out."

"Fantastic!" she said in awe, looking at the doll with a loving expression. She then looked at me. "I'm going to name her Juliana."

I had kissed her on the forehead. "That's a beautiful name."

And now she had gone to the cinema with Briony, still in wonder of the world outside magic.

"It was a film about some superhero. He was in love with a girl who wasn't one, and it made things complicated. She absolutely loved it, said that she admired the superhero for trying to stay with this girl, because he loved her so much," Briony said.

"I didn't know that you and Samara were friends," Charlie Corner said.

"We weren't," replied Briony. "Until then."

Briony and Samara would be perfect friends. They're so much alike; they have so many of the same attributes. When I first met Samara in my fourth year, I thought that she was like an older and a slightly more outgoing version of Briony. Honestly, the two could be sisters.

"She talked about you, James."

I looked up. Briony had leaned a bit over the table to say this softly to me.

"Samara did?" I asked, feeling my heart flutter a bit.

She nodded. "She asked after you, once she knew that we were...friends."

I swallowed, glancing at Samara, who was talking excitedly with Connor and Lena. "Really?" I asked.

Briony looked up as Legman, Steven was sorted into Gryffindor, and everyone cheered. "Yes. I'll tell you about it later, I promise."

I nodded and turned back towards the Sorting where Madson, Jenny was placed in Ravenclaw.

"Just like her sister!" Fred said. "I knew it!" He leaned over and muttered to me, "I heard what Briony said. Don't worry; I don't think that anyone else listened properly. But I want to hear about it later."

I nodded. "Don't worry, you will. And I want to know about what goes on with Lena this year."

Fred gave me a Look. "I thought you didn't believe anything could happen."

"I didn't," I replied. "But right about now I'm thinking that anything is possible."

Fred grinned. "The invincible, indestructible, stubborn-beyond-belief James Potter is admitting himself wrong?"

I laughed. "Don't get used to it, Weasley."

"Hey," greeted Rose, coming up behind us. She sat between Fred and me at the table.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "I thought you were sitting with Lil."

"I was," she said, cheering with our table as Elaina Rowloft came to join the Gryffindors. "But Louis and Hugo were being such huge gits, I just had to get away."

"What about Lily?" I asked.

"She stayed. She doesn't mind Hugo. Actually, I think that she's become used to him in the past few years. They're sort of like brother and sister now." She rolled her eyes a bit. "And I didn't think it would be quite comfortable if she came to sit with Albus at this table and all."

"True," I agreed.

"Rose, you were sitting by Lena and Samara?" asked Fred. My heart began to pound. I thought he was going to say something about Samara. Everyone in my family but Fred thinks that I'm over Samara, and I wanted to keep it that way.

"Yeah, why?" asked Rose.

"What was the score with her and Connor?" asked Fred. "Is he going out with her?"

"Not that I know of," Rose said. "They seemed like they were dating, but not committed. But I don't think that Lena really commits to anyone."

Fred slapped her on the arm. "Don't talk about her like that!"

"Ow!" Rose cradled her arm. "What, you don't still fancy her, do you?"

Unlike me, our entire family knows of Fred's love life. I juts know a more extended version.

Fred buried his head in his hands. "I've fancied her ever since I was eleven!"

"Aww," cooed Rose. "That's so cute. In an incredibly pitiful way."

"Bri, look! Remus is about to get sorted!" Austin pointed.

"Talisman, Remus."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Teddy's eyes open wide in surprise at the sound of his father's name. He smiled proudly, watching Remus Talisman wear the

Sorting Hat on his head. The Hat spouted out, "Gryffindor!" in moments, as if it didn't even need to think about it.

Briony cheered loudly, grinning, as her brother ran to our table. He and Austin quickly congratulated each other and both went to the end of the table, where the other first years were sitting, and where Marnie Thomas went to sit after being sorted into Gryffindor only minutes after Remus.

After Zimmerman, Kelly had finally been sorted into Ravenclaw, everyone in the Hall seemed rather restless to eat.

"Only a bit more business to take care of," Flitwick assured the students. "We have three transfer students who need to be sorted."

Fred, Rose and I looked knowingly at each other.

"Will Amara Lestrange, Lily Potter, and Hugo Weasley please come to the front of the Hall," Flitwick requested.

"We didn't talk about Hugo at the Prefect meeting," noticed Rose, watching her brother and Lily stand from the Gryffindor table and walk to the front. Amara did the same from where she had been sitting at the Slytherin one.

"I know," I said. "Flitwick hadn't mentioned him."

"I wonder why," Rose mused.

Amara went first. Slytherin was shouted from the Hat before it even formally sat on her head. The Slytherins cheered as Amara went to sit at their table again.

"Lily," beckoned Professor Vector, and my sister sat primly on the stool, closing her eyes as the Hat was placed on her head, as if it was reading her mind. I glanced at Albus. He was biting his lip with worry.

"Gryffindor!" the Hat cried.

Lily broke out in a smile and stepped down from the chair. She didn't come to our table, but I realized what she was doing. She was waiting for Hugo, so sure she was that he would be placed in Gryffindor as well.

Lil has her own way of doing things.

Vector put the Hat on Hugo's head as well.

"Gryffindor!" it shouted. And that was that.

The Weasleys broke into loud cheers for both Hugo and Lily as they proudly walked to the table. Or maybe it was just Hugo who was truly proud. Lily just looks like that all the time.

"So they all made it into Gryffindor," said Fred, watching the Weasleys congratulate Lily and Hugo.

"Can you say you're surprised?" asked Rose, clapping. "All Weasleys are Gryffindors. It's just a fact. If anyone wants their future kid to be a

Gryffindor, they should marry one of us."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sean said, winking at her.

Rosie rolled her eyes. "Shut up and eat your chicken, Finnegan," she said as our plates magically filled with food, marking the end of Flitwick's speech.

Sean helped himself to some potatoes muttering, "Why do the Weasleys always tell me to shut up?"

"They didn't talk about that new girl," Rose said, pouring herself some Pumpkin Juice.

"No," I replied, my mouth full. "I suppose they don't want the whole school's attention on her when she arrives."

Rose shrugged. "Maybe."

"Oi, James," called Fred. "Who's my partner for rounds?"

"I believe its Melena Partridge," I replied. "Ravenclaw fifth year."

"Ex-cel-lent." Fred grinned. "She quite a looker."

"I thought you were fancying Lena?" Rose asked.

"A bloke can look, can't he?" Fred shrugged.

Rose shook her head at him and turned back to her food. "Boys. I can't understand you half the time."

"And that's why we remain a mystery to the female species," Fred reasoned, stuffing a forkful of potatoes into his mouth.

Rose cringed and handed him a napkin to wipe his mouth with.

"Thanks," he said, his voice garbled.

"I think," said Rose, "that boys are insensitive jerks. And I'm maintaining that position."

"We're not," I said, defensively. "As a whole, we have good morals and standards. But if girls consider our flirtations with others and a bit of kissing to be non-committing, then no girl can be made happy by a guy."

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned. Standing behind me was Samara Kay.

I swallowed my mouthful of food. "Hey, Samara."

She didn't reply, but just stuck out her hand, which held a folded note. "Here. Vector told me to give this to you." She turned and walked away.

"Shit," I muttered, my hand grasping the note.

"Smooth," commented Rose. "Talking about girls in the most repulsive manner in front of the girl who you dumped without warning. No wonder she hates you."

"She hates me?"

"She should," said Rose. "After what you did to her."

"I thought I was doing it for her," I said. "I thought I was doing a good thing."

Rose rolled her eyes and muttered, "Boys."

"Don't listen to her, James," said Fred. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you." He pointed with his fork. "What's the note say?"

I unfolded it.

Mr. Potter,

Though the duties of Head Boy include showing the first years to their dormitories, you will be exempt tonight, as Professor Flitwick would like you in his office at eight o' clock to meet Reagan Carlisle, who has just arrived.

Please enlist another Prefect to perform the job that was formerly entitled to you.

Regards,

Professor Septima Vector

I folded the note and stuffed it in my pocket. Great. The last thing I wanted right now was to guide a naïve girl around Hogwarts. "What time is it?" I asked.

Rose looked at her watch. "Seven-thirty."

"Great. Fred, could you escort the first years to the dorms after supper? I have something to attend to in Flitwick's office."

"Ooh, to attend to," Fred mocked. "Sure. Don't worry about it."

I rubbed my forehead with my hands and looked sideways at Samara, talking with a new student. In less than five minutes, my seventh year had gone from spectacular to horrid.

I must be cursed. It's only a matter of time until I turn into a werewolf.

**A/N: So now you know who James' crush is on: the beautiful and brilliant Samara Kay (who seems to be going through some of her own family issues at the moment). Honestly, when I began writing this chapter I was really unenthused about it. I thought it was just going to be a filler chapter. But then I saw how much information the reader was getting on each character in this one chapter and I began to love it! It's definitely my favorite this far. It shows what James is really thinking and what he's really like. In the next chapter you'll see how he manages working with the new girl. That chapter is going to be really fun because you get to read from Reagan Carlisle's perspective! I'm working on it currently. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm excited for you to keep reading! If you have any questions or want background information on the characters or plotlines, or want to see when I'll be updating, you can visit my blog at ****www.rougette.****. It has all Sixth Year info on it and I'm working to get it as updated as possible! Thanks again! Read, review and check back soon! Love, Caralanne 3**


	5. Chapter 4: Reagan

I sat in the Headmaster's office, feeling quite uncomfortable. He had only come in for a moment, to greet me and such, and then left, telling me that the Head Boy would be back soon to attend to me.

I looked around the circular office. Plastering the walls were hundreds of portraits of who I assumed were previous Headmasters. But there was something amazing about these portraits-- they moved.

Not only did they move, but the people in the portraits also talked! To each other! It was unnerving and intriguing at the same time.

I blew a strand of my curly brown hair out of my face. How long did I have to wait for this Head Boy to arrive?

"That boy is never on time," a voice said. "He has the maturity of a troll and the responsibility of a Hungarian Horntail."

I looked up, not seeing anyone.

"Muggle, are you? Not used to us talking?"

I looked at the portraits, searching for the one that was speaking to me.

"Over here, pretty little one," called the portrait. "On the right."

I turned and looked, seeing a portrait of an old, pointy-faced man. Not daring to leave my seat, I said, "Hello."

"Hello back," said the man in the portrait. "I am Phinneas Nigellus Black, Headmaster of Hogwarts."

My mouth dropped open. "What? But I thought that Professor Flitwick was the Headmaster..."

The man laughed rather mockingly. "Silly, stupid little girl. I'm the former Headmaster of Hogwarts. Up until August of 1924 I was the ruler of this school."

"Oh," I said. "Then I'm very pleased to meet you. I'm Reagan Carlisle."

"Ah, Hogwarts' new charity case," Black nodded. "I see. And how are you managing in the magical world?"

"You know about me?"

Black smirked. "I know about everything. I hear all that goes on in the Headmaster's office. I have ever since I was put on this wall almost a hundred years ago. I knew when Harry Potter battled the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. I remember when a necklace of some sort cursed Katie Bell. I was there when the news of Sirius Black's death came." He muttered something about a good for nothing great-great grandson.

"Then I suppose you could tell me about Hogwarts," I said.

"Suppose? I could write a book about the goings-on in this office over the years."

"Then why don't you?" I asked.

"Ah, the great believer," Black said. "I've met people like you, Reagan Carlisle."

"What do you mean?"

"People who always believe some good can come out of anything. I've met so many of you."

"And you don't believe that?"

"I wish I could," Black remarked, bitterly. "But life doesn't work that way."

"It can," I said. "If you want it to."

Black laughed. "Wanting isn't enough. You have to work for it. Tell me, Reagan Carlisle, what House are you in?"

"House?" I repeated.

Black rolled his eyes. "Yes, House. Have they not told you anything?"

I just sat, silently.

"Each Hogwarts student is Sorted into a House. The four Houses of Hogwarts are Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. You will eat, sleep, and take lessons with the other members of your House."

"And how do they decide what House to put you in?"

"It all depends on your strengths," explained Black. "Slytherins are known for their ambition, while Gryffindors for their courage. Hufflepuffs are loyal, and Ravenclaws are intellectual."

"I see."

"I myself was a Slytherin," Black said proudly. "All of my family was. Except for my great-great good for nothing grandson Sirius Black," he said with distaste. "He was a Gryffindor. An Auror. Worked with the Order of the Phoenix during the last Wizarding War, only to be killed in the last year. He was the godfather of the infamous Harry Potter, whose son is your guide at this school."

"He is?"

Black nodded. "James Potter, the second. The first was Harry Potter's father. That boy was a terror to this school. Always getting in trouble, always being sent up here, always being excused by Dumbledore. Sirius Black was his best friend, and the exact same. I'm afraid James Potter the second might be following in his grandfather's footsteps, though he is Head Boy."

"Should I be worried?"

"About little James Potter? No. You have bigger things to worry about." He shifted in his portrait. "Do you see that book on the Headmaster's desk?"

"Yes."

"Go over to it."

Reluctantly, I got up from my chair and went to the book. It was large and thick, with a dusty cover and a moldy smell.

"What is it?"

"It's a book of students," Black said. "A treasure for the Headmaster. Open it."

I opened the book to a random page, dust floating up at me. Coughing, I tried to read.

"This book contains every student to ever come to Hogwarts," Black explained as I looked at the book. It tells their birthdates and death dates if applicable, location, House, year..."

I looked at the first name I saw:

_Granette, Margo_

_May 21st, 1193-October 16th, 1284_

_Green Grove Cemetery_

_Hufflepuff_

_Slightly below this was:_

_Granger-Weasley, Hermione_

_September 19th, 1979-?_

_Surry, Great Britain_

_Gryffindor_

"No student knows of this book," Black said, watching as I carefully turned the pages. "At least, not until they become Headmaster."

"Then why are you telling me?" I asked.

"I have my reasons," Black replied simply. "Maybe someday I'll reveal them to you."

I smiled at him and looked down at the book. Of course I didn't recognize any names, but I felt a rush of power come over me as I turned the pages.

"Now, remember," Black cleared his throat, "no student knows about this book."

I smiled softly at him. "I won't tell. I promise."

The door of the office flung open behind me. I slammed the old book shut, coughing as the dust sprang up at me, and turned so my back was leaning on the front of the desk, hiding the book.

"Bugger," muttered the boy, who had knocked several books from the table next to the office door, in his hasty entrance. He bent down to gather them, not clumsily but hurriedly.

I took this time to measure him up. He was tall, at least as tall as my step-dad. He had a head full of messy back hair, and sparkling brown eyes.

He stacked the books, not neatly, back on the table and stared at them a moment, as if daring them not to fall.

I looked over at Black's portrait and gave him a look as if to say, "This is the boy who is to be showing me around?"

Black shrugged.

"Sorry I'm late," the boy said, turning to me. "I had some, er, Head stuff to do."

"I thought the Head stuff included meeting me," I replied, raising an eyebrow.

He scowled at me, but then came forward, extending a hand. "James Potter."

Before he got any closer, I moved sharply from the desk, as not to let him see the book. "Reagan Carlisle," I said, shaking his hand.

"Yeah," he said, examining me. "So I'm to be your mentor over the next year--"

"But I graduate in two years," I interrupted.

"Very good," the boy said sarcastically. "But _I_ am graduating this year. So I won't be here to help you next year."

"That doesn't make much sense." I smirked. "I don't see why they wouldn't appoint me someone who would be able to assist me both my years here."

James looked at a loss for words. He ran a hand through his messy black hair.

Quite good-looking he was, if he would just wipe the scowl from his handsome face.

"Okay," he said, reasonably. He sounded as if I were a child who needed explaining to. "I think we got off on the wrong start. Sorry, I just am having one of those really bad days. My ex-girlfriend..."

"I would think that the first thing of being a student leader would be to put your personal feelings aside to accomplish your work," I said. I'm not a bitch. I'm not.

"You're telling me that you've never let your personal feelings affect your work?" James raised an eyebrow. "Do you never have a bad day?"

I looked at him. "I've been having a bad month. Don't talk to me about bad days."

He just stared at me, saying nothing, looking quite uncomfortable.

I sighed. "I'm sorry as well. I don't mean to be rude. It's just all a lot to take in."

He nodded. "Okay. Well, first things first."

He walked past me to a cabinet near where Black was hanging. Black smirked at James behind his back. I tried not to laugh.

Oh God. My only friend at Hogwarts is a portrait. How pathetic am I?

James lifted a moldy old hat off the top of the cabinet, being very careful. He looked almost as if he were in awe of it. "Could you sit in that chair?" he asked.

I looked at him. "Why?"

"Because I've always wanted to do this and now that I'm getting the chance, I want to do it properly!"

I sat.

As he carried the hat over to me, he looked as excited as a little boy at Christmastime, but was obviously trying to contain himself. He started to put the hat on my head.

"What are you doing!" I exclaimed, pushing his hands away and jumping out of my seat.

"What are you doing?" he exclaimed back. "I'm trying to Sort you! Can't you just sit still like every other kid did for hundreds of years?"

"Sort me!" I repeated. "What are you talking about?"

James sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, sort you. Each student puts on this hat their first day of Hogwarts and are sorted into one of the Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. I need to see which you're going to be in."

I remembered Black talking about the Houses. Everything seemed so much more rational when he said it, rather than James.

I shook my head in awe. "A hat tells you what House I'm to be in?"

"This isn't just any hat," he turned it in his hands. "This is the _Sorting_ Hat. It knows who you are and what you're capable of. It places you in your House based on those attributes. It knows the future and the past. It remembers everyone. It probably remembers the very day it sorted me into Gryffindor, just like my dad and his dad before him."

I shook my head. "Insane. A hat can't remember things like that."

"This hat can," James replied. "So will you please sit down so I can put it on your head?"

I looked over his shoulder at Black. He nodded at me. I sat down.

"Don't worry," James assured me, "it only takes a moment. And it doesn't hurt." He placed it on my head.

It spoke.

I shrieked with surprise as it began to speak aloud. "Newbie, eh?" it asked in a groggy voice, like that of an old man. "Muggleborn turned witch? Must have been a shock for you. I've seen hundreds, thousands of you come through here. All the same. Each wonders if they're not really going mad, and each asks themselves every day if this is just a dream. But it's not. You are a witch, Reagan Carlisle." My eyes widened when he spoke my name.

"Have to start from scratch with you," the hat said. "Not like those Weasleys...whenever I get one of them I already have an inkling that they'll likely go to Gryffindor. But you're different. A Muggle. But let's see..." I looked at James, who was watching interestedly. "You had a great-great-great-great-great aunt who was a witch. Andreida Moristante. She was the last of her family to still be associated with the magical world. It was dangerous to be a witch back then. Most gave it up. And that's why you were born a Muggle."

How could he know these things? He was a hat for God's sakes.

"Andreida was a Gryffindor. She was an extraordinary witch, so brave. She died after a duel with a Dark Wizard. She won, of course. She was never beaten in a duel. But the injuries of the duel caught up with her."

Fantastic. The last witch in my family died dueling a Dark Wizard. Lovely.

I looked at Black's portrait. He was watching. I closed my eyes and wished, 'Please, please let me be in Slytherin. Black was in there and he became Headmaster. I want to be in Slytherin, please'.

"Slytherin, eh?" the hat asked. "Aye, you could do great things in Slytherin. But you could be greater somewhere else." My eyes flew open in protest. "I feel like I can never give the students what they want," the hat continued. "Hardly any want to go to Slytherin and then I send them there anyway. But you! You want to be in Slytherin! And I won't send you. You belong somewhere else."

I looked at my hands.

"I can hear your thoughts, Reagan Carlisle," the hat told me. "And I know that you weren't afraid when you received your Hogwarts letter. You were intrigued. And that takes incredible bravery."

Bravery. The word hit me like a knife.

"And that's why you'll do splendidly in," the hat took a breath, "Gryffindor!" And then it became silent.

James watched in awe. He then slowly took the hat off my head and gently placed it back on the cabinet.

"Well," he said. "Now that we know your house we can move onto other things." He whistled and an owl, which had been perched on a tall bookshelf, came swooping down to him. James scribbled a note on a piece of paper and tied it around the owl's leg. "Take this to the house elves," he murmured.

"What are you doing?" I asked, as the owl flew away.

"Owls carry mail," James explained. "That one was carrying a note to the house elves, to tell them to set up another bed in the sixth year girls' dormitories."

"House elves!" I exclaimed.

"Yes," James said, resuming that baby talk again. "House elves. They cook and clean for Hogwarts."

"Don't they mind doing all that work?" I asked.

"Not for me," James replied, smartly. "In case you didn't know before, my family's pretty famous in the Wizarding world."

"I see," I replied. Behind me, I head Black snort.

"What was that?" James asked.

"Oh, nothing," I replied quickly. "So I'll be living in Gryffindor then?"

"Yes," replied James. "And you're lucky. The other girls in the sixth-year room are great. My cousin Rose is in there, and Lena Briggs, and this girl Samara Kay..." He cleared his throat. "But back to business." He walked to a large portrait of tiny Professor Flitwick that hung on the wall opposite of Black, pulled out a long wand, and muttered something under his breath, pointing it at the portrait. Then, to my great surprise, the portrait faded away, revealing a doorway to a book room.

"This is the Headmaster's library," James called over his shoulder as he walked into the small room. "All of the Headmaster's books are held in here."

_Not all_, I said in my head.

He came out with an armload of books. "You'll need to study these in your free time. Every Hogwarts student has had to read these, and you need to catch up.

You may borrow them from Flitwick for now. Here's Hogwarts, A History," he stacked the books on a table near the desk," that tells you all about Hogwarts, so that you don't have to ask questions like 'how does a Hat sort you into your House?' anymore.

"Here's the Standard Book of Spells Grades One through Five," James continued, piling more books. "You need to catch up on those. A History of Magic, for you know, magical history and such. You're taking Arithmacy, here's the Book of Numerology. The Dream Oracle, for Arithmacy. Magical Drafts and Potions...A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration...Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles," he looked at me. "Well, I guess you won't need that one. And here's some for Defense Against the Dark Arts...oh and my personal favorite," he held up a slightly newer-looking book, "Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland."

I looked at him blankly.

"Well, I guess we'll just come back to that one," he said, putting the book aside. "Why don't you grab those and I'll show you around Hogwarts a bit."

"Are you joking?" I asked, looking at the stack of books.

"Oh," he said, remembering. Taking his wand out again, he waved it at the stack of books and said clearly, "_Reducio_." And before my eyes, the books shrank until they were the size of dollhouse books.

I picked one up. It was exactly the same as the Transfiguration book I had seen just moments ago, except fifty times smaller.

"That was brilliant!" I exclaimed, looking at James.

He smiled, looking rather pleased with himself. "That was nothing. You should see what great magic we're learning in seventh year."

"Yeah," I said, still examining the book in awe.

"Why don't you put those in your, er, pocket and then we can...oh, I almost forgot!" He pulled another wand out of his back pocket. "This is for you. See, usually you get your own wand, but we don't have a chance to go buy one until next weekend. So I brought you this."

He handed it to me. It was cherry wood, about ten inches long.

"It was my cousin's," James explained. "She lost her original one when she was twelve, so my uncle bought her this one. But then she found her first one and had no use for this one anymore."

I looked it over in my hands. "Thank you."

"Well don't just look at it," James said. "Try it out."

"I...I don't know how," I said.

James rolled his eyes. "Just...swish it at something."

I looked blankly at the wand.

"Okay, we'll do this," James decided. He took the Quidditch book, which was still normal size, and put it on the edge of the desk. "Now hold your wand like this," he held his out in front of him, "and repeat after me. Wingardium Leviosa."

"Wingardium Leviosa," I carefully repeated.

"Good!" he exclaimed. "Now make this movement with your wand." He showed me how he swished his. "Swish and flick. Swish and flick. Good! That's good! Now," he said, taking me by the shoulders and facing me towards the book, "I want you to look at that book, swish and flick, while saying the spell. Okay? Go."

I looked doubtfully at the book.

"It's okay," said James. "You can do it."

I took a breath. "Wingardium Leviosa," I said, swishing and flicking. "Oh!" I exclaimed, as the book began to levitate right before my eyes.

"Control it!" exclaimed James. "Your wand controls how high it goes. Try making it go a little higher!"

I gently tipped my wand and watched with amazement as the book gradually levitated a bit higher.

"Good," said James. "Now lower it back onto the desk."

I carefully tipped my wand down, and the book rested back on the desk.

"Huh," James said in awe. "Maybe this won't be so hard." He grabbed the tiny pile of books and put them in my palm. "Here. Put these in your pocket and we'll go around Hogwarts a bit."

I slid the books into the pocket of my dress and followed James out of the office. I turned to smile at Black, who smiled back. His smile is kind of more like a smirk, but whatever.

James guided me down the hall of Hogwarts. "Do you have the time?" he asked.

"I think it's about nine," I said, remembering the clock in Flitwick's office.

"Okay, we have to move along then," James said, quickening his pace. "Curfew's at ten. Not that it would affect us, but I have to patrol later on."

"Patrol?"

"All Heads and Prefects have to patrol on certain nights. You know, making sure the littlies are in bed, stopping any trouble in the hallways and such..."

"So you were picked to be Head Boy?" I asked.

"Yes," he said, rather proudly. "There's a Head Boy and a Head Girl. They're kind of like class presidents. And then prefects are--"

"I know what prefects are," I interrupted. "We had them at my last school."

"Sorry," James said, guardedly. "I don't exactly know much about Muggle schools."

"Well I don't know much about magical schools," I said. "So I guess we're even."

"Okay," he said. "We'll go into Hogsmeade this weekend to get you your school robes and books and everything. You'll need a cauldron, a pet, a wand..."

"What's Hogsmeade?" I asked.

"It's a little Wizarding village on the outskirts of the Hogwarts' grounds," James replied. "It's cool."

"Oh," I said.

We stayed quiet for a moment, walking.

"So your family goes to school here too?" I asked.

"Yeah!" James said, sounding grateful for something to talk about. "A whole lot of my cousins go here; they're all in Gryffindor too. And then my brother Albus goes here, and my sister Lily now too. She's new."

"Oh, is she eleven?" I asked, remembering what my letters and Flitwick had said.

"No, she's fourteen. She's just new to Hogwarts."

"Like me?"

"No, not like you. She came from a different Wizarding school, one in France."

"Oh."

We were silent again.

"There's the, er, Arithmancy chamber," James pointed.

"Oh, that's nice."

We walked.

"Do you have siblings?" James asked.

I shook my head. "No."

"Oh." James rubbed his forehead with his hands. "God, why does this have to be so difficult?"

Why did it have to be so difficult? I don't know. Something about James just struck me as odd. And something about him made me realize that we weren't going to get along well.

And we didn't.

**A/N: I'm not happy with it at all, but it had to be written. It was a bit hard to write because I **_**do **_**want Reagan to come off as a kind of hard-ass. Their relationship should be interesting. Coming up next is either: **

**Another Albus chapter; him with Briony, the two of them hanging out and FINALLY his confrontation with Lily **

**OR**

**A SAMARA KAY chapter : )) I think it'd really be interesting to hear from her. And of course during this chapter we'd hear from Rosie, Lena and Reagan since they live in the same dormitories. And there'd be an inevitable conversation with James of course.**

**Opinions? Thank you : ) Both of the chapters mentioned above will be available soon, but I don't want to rush them because I rushed this one and I'm definitely not happy with it. So it'll be here within the next week I suppose. I'd love some reviews, they sort of fuel my inspiration. And tell me what you think of characters and what you think is going to happen or what you want to happen! It would help so much! Love, Caralanne 3 (****.****) **


End file.
